Class _JEil_Z 

Book 

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COPXRIGHT DEPOSrr. 



A DrCTIONARY 
OF MYTHOLOGY 

CONTAINING SHORT AND INTERESTING 
SKETCHES OF CHARACTERS FOUND IN 
GRECIAN AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY 
WITH ALL PROPER NAMES CAREFULLY 
PRONOUNCED 



BY JOHN H. BECHTEL 

Author of " Slips of Speech,'" " Practical Synonyms" Etc. 



Philadelphia 

The penn Publishing Company 
i8q9 



34594 



Copyright 1899 by The Penn Publishing Company 





INTRODUCTION 



Mythology has ever been so intimately related to 
literature that the reader and student will not have gone 
far before discovering the necessity of an acquaintance 
with the gods and goddesses, the deities and heroes, who ^ 
played so important a part in the affairs of the early races 
of mankind. These picturesque creations of a former time 
are so closely interwoven with the literature of all civilized 
nations, that even the man w^ho reads nothing more than 
the daily or weekly newspaper, needs to be acquainted 
with them. As Coleridge says : 

" They live no longer in the faith of reason, 
But still the heart doth need a language ; still 
Doth the old instinct bring back the old names : 
Spirits or gods that used to share this earth 
With man as with their friend ; and at this day 
'Tis Jupiter who brings whatever is great, 
And Venus who brings everything that's fair." 

While nearly all nations in their primitive condition had 
their systems of mythology, it is to the vivid imaginations^ 
of the Greeks and Romans that we are most indebted for j 
wdiatever of fable adorns our literature. • 

Influence upon Civilization. — It is almost impossible 
at this late day to realize the intense hold that this system 
of belief had upon the people, and the influence it exercised 




4 



I^^TliODUCTION 



upon their civilization. The husbandman sowed his seed, 
firmly believing that the special deity whom he worshiped' 
supplied the necessary rains, and attended to all the 
details of its growth ; the artisan wrought his spear and 
shield, trusting for skill to the influence of a god ; the 
sailor placed his life and property at the disposal of a 
guiding divinity ; the poet and artist drew inspiration 
from a like trusted source. In all the operations of nature, 
the same mysterious influences exercised control, — in 
cloud and storm, in heat and cold, in the changing seasons, 
in the growing plant and the fading leaf, in wave and 
tide, in forest and dell, in stream and cascade, in mountain 
and plain, in sea and sky, in darkness and light, in life and 
death, a presiding deity was everywhere present. 

Sources of Information.— Our knowledge of the 
mythology of the Greeks and Romans is derived from thev' 
ancient writers, poets, historians, and others, whose works 
have come down to our time, and also from the many ex- 
amples of ancient art tliat still exist, of statues in marble 
and bronze, of painted vases, and of coins and engraved 
gems. 

The Romans borrowed largely from the Greeks, and, 
while no coalescence of the two religious systems ever 
took place, the modern notions of Greek mythology are 
derived chiefly through the writings of the Latin poets. 
Constructing their poems after the Greek models, and 
sometimes substituting the names of their native deities 
for those of the Greeks that had similar characteristics, 
and at other times employing the Greek name under a 
Latin form, confusion has in these ways often arisen. 

While Homer and Hesiod each gives some account of 
the creation, the Greeks were apparently more concerned 



INTRODTTCTION 



5 



with the world as tliey found it, and with their relations 
to it and with it, than with the manner of its formation. 
The occurrences and accidents of daily life tend to bind 
men together. They learn to know each other, — their 
strength and weaknesses, their passions and instincts, 
their likes and dislikes. Having no other standards, they 
measure everything by the standard of themselves. The 
stronger, the braver, the wiser among them become their 
leaders. Physical proportions and powers and perfections 
are objects of admiration. Their worship becomes a form 
of man- worship. Their gods take the form of a man, but 
are endowed with the highest conceivable qualities. As 
knowledge and civilization advance, those attributes be- 
come more and more exalted, until their deities, multiply- 
ing in number, are made to rule over earth and air, and 
sea and sky. 

Orders of Deities. — As men were valued accord- 
ing to the degree of their influence, so the gods were 
estimated according to their powers. Those that ruled 
over the mighty forces of nature or wrought most for 
the welfare of men were exalted to tlie first rank. The 
Olympian deities, twelve in number, include, as usually 
given, Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Ceres, Apollo, Diana, Vul- 
can, Minerva, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Vesta. Jupiter 
sat enthroned on the top of Mount Olympus ; the habi- 
tations of the others occupied lower altitudes. While 
Thessaly has, perhaps, the best title to Olympus, there are 
no less than fourteen mountains in Greece which claim 
the distinction. The term Olympus afterward came to be 
applied to a region above the visible sky. Its height was 
so great that a brazen anvil falling from its summit occu- 
pied nine days in reaching the earth. Tartarus, a vast, 



6 INTRODUCTION 

m 

gloomy place in which the Titans dwelt, was at an equal 
distance beneath the surface of the earth. 

The highest order of deities included not only the Olym- 
pian gods and goddesses already referred to, but also Uranus, 
the first of the race of gods, whose name signifies "the 
heavens viewed as the husband of the earth," and who, by 
his warmth and moisture, i)roduces life and vegetation ; 
Cronus, his successor, the god of the harvest, who also 
ripened and jnatured every form of life ; Saturnus, who 
was chosen by Janus to share with him in the government 
of his kingdom, thereafter called Saturnia, a " land of 
seed and fruit " ; Rhea, goddess of the earth, with its 
mountains and forests, and who was mother of Pluto, 
Neptune, Jupiter, Juno, Ceres, and Vesta ; Amphitrite, 
goddess of the sea, who liad the care of its creatures, and 
who often stirred up tlie great waves and hurled them 
against the rocks and cliffs ; Proserpina, daughter of 
Ceres, who, with her mother, superintended the growing 
harvests during the summer, but who, in the autumn, like 
the seed, disappeared in the earth, and again came forth 
the next spring ; Bacchus, who was worsliiped under 
many names, and wlio instructed tlie people in the culti- 
vation of the vine and taught them many of the arts of 
peace; and lastly, Themis, generally styled Urania, god- 
dess of the rites of hospitality, who instructed mankind in 
the exercise of right and moderation, and in tlie highest 
forms of justice. To these might be added Sol and Luna, 
for, as civilization advanced, the distinction between 
physical and mental illumination was empliasized, and 
Apollo became the oracle of wisdom, enlightening the 
mind, while Sol, the god of day, symbolized the physical 
phenomenon of light. So Diana was at first worshiped as 



INTRODUCTION 7 

the divine personification of the moon, but, in time, Luna 
was revered as the goddess of the physical orb of night, 
and to Diana was assigned the duty of quickening vegeta- 
tion by the copious fall of dew which, it was discovered, 
came most on clear, cool nights. She was also supposed 
to wander tlirough the groves, over the hills, across the 
valleys, and beside the streams, accompanied by her 
nymphs, and, by her light, to afford to the flocks and 
herds, and also to belated travelers, protection against the 
ravages of wild beasts. These gods and goddesses, ac- 
knowledging obedience only to Jupiter, were styled 
" Deities of the Highest Order." 

Inferior Deities. — There were numerous inferior 
deities. These were worshiped independently. The 
Horse, goddesses of the seasons, were Thallo, goddess 
of blossoming, and Carpo, goddess of harvest and fruit. 
Winter being a period of sleep or death in nature, was 
not regarded as one of the seasons. In some places 
the seasons were considered three in number — sj^ring with 
its flowers, summer with its grain, and autumn with its 
fruit. As the harvest and fruitage were largely deter- 
mined by the w^eather, these goddesses opened and shut 
the gates of heaven, and sent rain and sunshine in such 
proportion as would best promote vegetation. The bless- 
ings of life were so largely dependent upon the unchang- 
ing and orderly succession of the seasons that the Horse 
were supposed to regulate the good order and morality of 
the people. In this character they were worshiped under 
the titles of Eunomia, goddess of wise legislation ; Dike, 
goddess of justice ; and Eirene, goddess of peace. Chloris 
goddess of buds and flowers, was also worshiped as one 
of the Horee, Pomona was goddess of garden fruits ; 



8 



INTRODUCTION^ 



Vertumnus, her husband, watched over the seasons and 
assisted in the care and protection of the products of the 
garden. 

Janus was a purely Roman god, and was made ahnost 
equal to Jupiter. He opened and closed each day and 
month and year. He sat at the remotest confines of the 
eartli, at the very gates of heaven. Having two faces, he 
looked backward and forward at the same time. The 
month of January being named for him, the first 
day of the new year was celebrated in his honor. 
Terminus was god of boundaries ; Priapus, son of Bacchus 
and Venus, was a god of the fertility of nature, and 
guardian of vineyards, gardens, and fields. 

Pan was regarded by the Arcadians as the god who 
watched over the pastures, herds, and herdsmen. The 
woods and plains were made his immediate protection, 
and hunting and fishing were his special care. He was 
fond of sportive dances, and of playing on the shepherd's 
pipe. As a spirit of the mountains, all strange and un- 
usual sounds were ascribed to him, hence any anxiety or 
alarm arising from an unseen cause was called * ' panic 
fear," or fear caused by the presence of the spirit of Pan. 

Faunus, a Roman deity, resembled the Greek Pan, but 
had some distinctive qualities. As prophetic deity of 
forest and field, he was often called Fatuus. Fatua, his 
wife, sometimes called Fauna, also delivered oracles, but 
only to women. The Fatui were the offspring of Fatuus 
and Fatua, and, as evil genii, sent nightmares and other 
torturing dreams. Picus, another Roman deity, was wor- 
shiped as a prophet and forest god. Picumnus and Pilum- 
nus formed a pair of Roman deities whose office it was to 
watch over married life. The latter would drive away all 



INTKODUCTION 



9 



illness from childhood by means of the pilum, or club, 
which he used in pounding out the grain ; the former, 
who superintended the fertilizing of the land, would give 
the child growth. 

The Satyrs belong to the order of forest deities, and rep- 
resent the genial, luxuriant life in nature, which spread 
over fields, and woods, and meadows. Their life was 
spent chiefly in the forests and on the hills, and was a per- 
petual round of amusements. Comus was the guardian of 
the banquet, mirth, and social pleasure. As representing 
the results of excessive conviviality, he is sometimes pic- 
tured, with torch reversed, leaning against a pillar in 
drunken stupor. 

Silvanus, a Roman god, guarded the interests of herds- 
men, preserved the boundary lines of the people, and pro- 
tected the banks of the rivers. Pales presided over cattle-T^ 
raising. / 

The inferior deities include also the Oceanides, marine 
deities, offspring of Oceanus ; the Nereides, often con- 
founded with the Oceanides ; the Tritons, who summoned 
the other marine deities whenever Neptune approached ; 
the Sirens, who inhabited the cliffs of the islands lying be- 
tween Sicily and Italy, and who, by their sweet voices, 
lured sailors to their destruction ; the Eiver-gods, who 
presided over the currents of the rivers and streams ; the 
Nymphs, beautiful beings, who occupied a middle ground 
between gods and men, who were in touch with both, and 
who took various titles, according to the duties they per- 
formed or the places where they dwelt, — nymphs of woods 
and trees, of groves and ravines, of meadows and flowers, 
of hills and valleys, of rivers and lakes, of marshes and 
swamps. Many of the Nymphs liad individual names, 



10 



INTRODUCTION 



The Muses, nymphs of the streams that trickled down 
the sides of Mount Helicon and Mount Parnassus, offspring 
of Jupiter and Mnemosyne, were nine in number, and in- 
cluded Clio, the Muse of History ; Melpomene, of Tragedy ; 
Thalia, of Comedy and Burlesque ; Calliope, the Muse of 
Heroic Poetry, and usually accounted chief of the Muses ; 
Urania, of Astronomy ; Euterpe, of Music ; Polyhymnia, 
of Song and Oratory ; Erato, of Love and Marriage Songs, 
and Terpsichore, of Dancing. Mnemosyne, the mother of ^ 
the Muses, was the goddess of memory. Under the leader- 
ship of Apollo, the Muses played and sang at the banquets 
and marriage-feasts of the gods, while the Horse, the 
Graces, and other deities, danced and contributed to the 
mirth and gaiety of the occasion. The Nymphs afforded 
to the ancient sculptors themes for the finest conceptions 
of grace and beauty. 

The Wind-gods were another important class of inferior 
deities, and exercised a great influence in the affairs of 
life. Boreas the north wind, Eurus the east wind, Notus 
the south wind, and Zephyrus the west wind, were the 
principal wind-gods. Eolus, who dwelt upon a rocky 
island not far from Sicily, was supposed to keep the winds 
imprisoned in a great cave, and to release them as directed 
by Jupiter or Neptune. 

Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, messenger of Jupiter 
and Juno in communicating their orders to mankind, was 
supposed to charge the clouds with water from lakes and 
rivers in order that they might fertilize tlie earth with 
gentle showers. Aurora, goddess of the Dawn : Cu]^id.the 
god of Love ; Hymen, the god of Mnrriage : Hebe, the 
goddess of Youtli ; Hygeia. the goddess of Health; For- 
tuna, the goddess of Fortvme or of Chance ; Victoria, the 



INTEODtJCTION 



11 



goddess of Victory ; Pax, the goddess of Peace ; Nemesis, 
the goddess of Punishment ; Discordia, tlie goddess of 
Strife ; Somnus, the god of Sleep ; MorjDheus, the god of 
Dreams ; and Mars, tlie god of Death, son of Night and 
twin-brother of Sleep, were the most important among the 
other inferior deities. 

Other creatures, such as the Furies, the Harpies, the 
Gorgons, the Graeae, were appointed as attendants to the 
higher as well as to the lower deities, assisting them in the 
accomplishment of their purposes, chiefly by punishing 
wickedness and crime. 

Worship. — Costly temples were dedicated to most of 
the gods and goddesses, and sacrifices were offered upon 
their altars. No important enterprise w^as engaged in 
without first consulting the oracle, or propitiating the 
over-ruling divinity. Lest any deity should feel neglected 
or offended, they dedicated an altar to " the unknown 
god ." Paul refers to this altar when he says : " As I passed 
by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this 
inscription, 'to the unknown god.' Whom, therefore, ye 
ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." 

In ^schylus is found this petition: "Zeus, whoever 
thou art, and by whatever name it please thee to be 
named, I call on thee and pray." As mortal man was in- 
capable of understanding the character of a god or of 
knowing his name, this form of petition served as a com- 
mon introduction to their prayers. It was the custom of 
the Greeks, in praying, to lift the hands and turn the 
face toward the East. The Romans turned toward the 
North. In supplicating the sea-gods the hands were 
stretched toward the sea ; and when invoking the gods of 
the lower world, the suppliant beat the earth with his 



12 



INTRODUCTION 



hands. Sometimes the petition was inscribed on a tablet, 
sealed, and deposited at the feet of the image of the god 
or goddess invoked. The following was a common form 
of prayer: '*Zeus, om* Lord, give unto us whatever is 
good, whether we ask it of thee or not ; whatever is evil 
keep from us, even if we ask it of thee." A sense of their 
dependence upon the overruling deities was ever present 
wath them, and the occasions for prayer were numerous. 

The sacrifices which were offered by the priests were of 
two kinds, one consisting of fruits, cakes, and wine ; the 
other of animals, w^hich were required to be absolutely 
perfect. Even the wood for the altar was selected that 
it might burn with a pure flame. These sacrifices were 
offered at regular times, and each person vx^as expected to 
give of liis substance. The herdsman offered the firstlings 
of his flock, the merchant gave a share of his gain, the 
soldier a portion of his booty. 

Auguries and Oracles. — Sacrifices were sometimes 
offered in order to obtain, by the examination of the 
entrails of an animal, an augury of the issue of some w^ar- 
like enterprise, or to sanctify the ratification of a treaty, 
or to obtain purification from some crime. Auguries were 
sometimes obtained from the direction of the flight of 
birds, from dreams, from thunder and lightning, from 
comets, meteors, eclipses, earthquakes, and other striking 
phenomena of nature. As many persons regarded them- 
selves imqualified to interpret properly the will of the 
gods, a large number of soothsayers found a lucrative 
business in fortune-telling. 

The deep piety of the Greeks is evidenced in their custom 
of consulting the oracles, in times of doubt and perplexity. 
The term ''oracle " properly applies to the response deliv- 



INTRODUCTION 



13 



ered by a deity to an inquirer, but it is often used to 
designate the place where the petition is offered and the 
answer is received. Among the many oracles, that of 
Apollo at Delphi was the most celebrated among the 
Greeks. These oracles, or responses, were usually deemed 
infallible, and were generally dictated by justice, sound 
sense, and reason. 

Festivals and Games.— Imposing festivals, some held 
annually ; others, more or less frequently, were celebrated 
in honor of the various deities. These were mostly of a 
religious character, but sometimes they degenerated into 
shameless orgies. These festivals were considered so im- 
portant that during the time of their celebration, even 
wars were suspended, and persons were permitted to pass 
unmolested through hostile territory. 

The most celebrated of the ancient games were the 
Olympian, the Pythian, the Nemean, and the Isthmian. 
The Olympian games, which were held on the plain of 
Olympia, and occurred every four years, were so important 
that time was reckoned by Olympiads as we reckon it by 
years. The Pythian games were held at Delphi, in honor 
of Apollo, and occurred every four years. The Nemean 
games occurred once in two years, and were celebrated in 
honor of Hercules, in the forest of Nemea, near the place 
where he slew the Nemean lion. The Isthmian games 
were held in honor of Neptune, on the Isthmus of Corinth 
every two years. 

Signification and Interpretation.— When we re- 
member that these myths existed for ages as traditions 
related by father to son, and being widely distributed and 
taking on more or less of local coloring according to the 
time and place of tlieir rehearsal, it is easy to account for 



14 



INTRODUCTION 



the variation in the incidents of many of the tales and the 
disputes among mythologists in the adjustment of these 
differences. 

The interpretation of these myths has long constituted 
a fertile field of study for the scholar and antiquarian. 
Some have regarded them as allegories i)icturing the vari- 
ous phases of human life and occurrences in the ph3'sical 
world. Others have been disposed to regard them as liis- 
torical facts disguised under the form of metaphor, and 
taking on other material as they were passed along, just 
as the rolling ball of snow in its onward movement gathers 
up stones and sticks and other foreign substances. 

The philologists declare that " as the j)earl is the result 
of a disease of the oyster, so myths are tlie result of a dis- 
ease of language," and that the ke}^ to all mythologies lies 
in language. The anthropologists, on the other hand, 
hold that the explanation is found in man, in human 
thought and human language combined. Whatever the 
truth may be regarding the origin and significance of these 
wonderful mj^ths, it is conceded by all that they have 
served to enrich the literature, and especially the poetry 
of all ages and nations since books have been born. 



AN ALPHABETICAL LIST 

OF THE 

ROMAN DEITIES AND HEROES 

WITH THEIR EQUIVALENT NAMES IN THE MYTHOLOGIES OF 
GREECE, INDIA, BABYLONIA, EGYPT, AND SCANDINAVIA. 



^aiseulapius— Gr. Asklepios. 
Amor— Gr. Eros. 

Apollo~Gr. Apollo or Helios— Eg. Oros. 

Aurora— Gr. Eos. 

Bacchus — Gr. Dionysus. 

Bellona— Gr. Enyo. 

Ceres— Gr. Demeter. 

Ccelus— Gr. Uranus. 

Cupid, or Amor— Gr. Eros— In. Kamadeva or Kama. 

Diana — Gr. Artemis. 

Discordia— Gr. Eris. 

Fama— Gr. Pheme. 

Fate, Fatum— Gr. Anake. 

Flora— Gr. Chloris. 

15 



16 ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE 



Fortuna— Gr. Tyclie— Sc. Freyr. 

Furies, Furise, Dirse, Semnse— Gr. Erinys, or Eume- 
nides. 

Hercules— Gr. Heracles. 
Juno — Gr. Hera — B. Hada. 

Jupiter — Gr. Zeus — In. Dyaus, or Indra, or Janitar — 

E. Hemplita — Sc, Odin, or Woden. 
Justitia — Gr. Dike, or Astraea. 
Juventas— Gr. Hebe, or Dia. 
Latona— Gr. Leto. 
Luna— Gr. Selene. 

Mars — Gr. Ares — In. Kumara — E. Papremis — Sc. Hildur. 

Mercury — Gr. Hermes — In. Ganesa — E* Thoth. 

Minerva— Gr. Athene. 

Mors— Gr. Thanatos. 

Neptune— Gr. Poseidon. 

Nox— Gr. Nyx. 

Pax — Gr. Eirene, or Irene. 

Pluto — Gr. Hades— Eg. Serapis, or Osiris. 

Proserpine or Proserpina, or Libera— Gr. Persephone 

or Kora. 
Pollux— Gr. Polydeuces. 
Saturn, or Saturnus— Gr. Cronus. 
Sol— Gr. Helios— In. Surya— Eg. Horus. 
Somnus — Gr. Hypnus. 
Suada, or Suadela— Peitho. 

I 



BOMAN DEITIES AND HEROES. 



Terra— Gr. Ge, or Gsea. 
Ulysses- -Gr. Odysseus. 

Venus— Gr. Aphrodite— Eg. Kinu— Sc. Freyr. 

Vesta — Gr. Hestia. 

Victoria— Gr. Nike. 

Vulcan— Gr. Hepiisestus— Sc. EgiL 



i 

i 



DICTIONARY OF MYTHOLOGY 



Abseus (a-be-us). A title applied to Apollo by the 
people of Abae, a town in Greece, who worshiped at 
his slirine. 

Al>a§ (a bas). The son of Hypermnestra and Lynceus, and 
father of the brothers Acrisiiis and Proetns, who were 
noted for their implacable hatred of each other from 
infancy. According to other authorities he was the son 
of Meganira, and was converted into a water lizard for 
profaning the Sacrifice. 

Abcleriis (ab-de'rus). The armor-bearer of Hercules, 
after whom the town of Abderus was named. 

Abdiiclioii. See Europa, Paris, Pluto. 

Absyrtus (ab-ser'tus). The son of ^etes, king of Col- 
chis, who was slain by his sister, the beautiful but cruel 
sorceress, Medea, in order to escape by flight from the 
fury of her father. See Jason. 

Aca§tus (a-kas'tus). Son of Pelias and father of Lao- 
damia. 

Ace§tes (a-ses'tez). A Trojan prince, governor of part 
of Sicily. With him ^neas left tlie women, the aged 
men, and all who could not serve him in Jiis wars in 
Italy. 

19 



20 



ACH^ANS — ACHILLES 



Aeh£eaii§ (a-ke'anz). The Achaeans, tlie ^olians, the 
Dorians, and the lonians comprised the four great 
branches of the Hellenic race. 

Aclieloii§ (ak-e-lo'us). A river god. He and Hercules 
engaged in a wrestling bout to determine which should 
wed Deianeira. Achelous transformed himself first into 
a serpent and then into a bull. Hercules seized one of 
his horns, and in the fur}^ of the contest it was broken 
off, and Achelous acknowledged himself defeated. He 
then turned himself into a river which has since borne 
his name. The sirens, sometimes called the Acheloides, 
were the daughters of Achelous. 

Acheron (akVron). The black, deep current of this 
stream, the river of eternal wo*e, across wliich the souls 
of the departed were obliged to pass, was so swift that 
none dared venture to stem it except under the guidance 
of the aged boatman, Charon, to whom an obolus or 
coin, as passage money, must first be paid. For con- 
venience this was placed under the tongue of the dead. 
Tliose who came without their fare were obliged to wait 
one hundred years, when Charon would carry them 
over witliout charge. The Furies were clnldren of 
Acheron and Nyx. See Styjc, Pyriplilegetlwn, Cocytiis, 
and Lethe. 

Acliilles (a-kil'lez). He was the son of Peleus, king of 
Thessaly, and was the bravest of all the Greeks who 
fouglit in the Trojan war. His mother, Thetis, who 
was a sea-nymph, plunged him when an infant into tlie 
river Styx, thus making everypart of his body invuhier- 
able, except the lieel, by wliich she held liim. He was 



ACID ALIA — ADES 



21 



reared under the kindly care of Chiron, whose home 
was a cave in Mount Pelion, and whose knowledge of the 
art of healing was widely known. Patroclus, fighting 
side by side with Achilles, received a serious wound, 
which the latter, owing to his knowledge of medicine 
obtained from Chiron, was able to cure. In the siege of 
Troy, an arrow from the bow of Paris struck him in the 
heel, and caused his death. 

Aeidalia (as-i-da'li-a). A surname of Venus, from a 
fountain in Boeotia. 

Acis (a'sis). A Sicilian shepherd, son of Faunus and the 
nymph Simsethis. Jealousy prompted Polyphemus to 
hurl a rock at him which crushed him to death. Gala- 
tea, who passionately loved him, transformed his blood 
into the river which bears his name. 

Aeri§iu§ (a-krish'i-us). Son of Abas and brother of 
Proetus. Fearing that he should have no heir to his 
throne, he consulted the oracle, who told him that a 
daughter would be born to him, whose son would slay 
him and rule in his stead. This prophecy was fulfilled, 
for Perseus, while engaged in the public games, threw a 
disk which accidentally struck the foot of his grand- 
fatlier and caused his death. 

Acrela (a-kre'ta). Same as Acrete. See Kcikia. 

Actaeon (ak-te'on). A famous hunter, son of Aristseus 
and Autonoe. For intruding upon the privacy of Diana 
while she and her attendants were bathing, he was 
changed by her into a stag and devoured by his own dogs. 
These were named Cisseta, Draco, Coran, Echnobas. 

Acle§ (a'dez) . See Hades. 



ADMETE — ^CASTOR 



Adiiiete (ad-mete). The vain but beautiful daughter 
of Eurystheus. 

Adiiietu§ (ad-me'tus) . Son of Pheres and Ch mene, king 
of Pherae in Thessaly. Once, wlien ill, the oracle told 
liim he would die unless someone offered himself in his 
stead. This his wife, Alcestis, offered to do, and she 
would have been carried off to Hades had not Hercules 
seized the god of death in his strong arms and held him 
fast until lie promised to spare her to her husband. 
AVhen Apollo was banished from heaven he attended 
the flocks of Admetus for nine years. 

Acloiiif^ (a-do'nis). Son of Cima-as and Myrrha and a 
special favorite of Venus. He was fond of the chase, 
and while hunting the wild boar, was mortally wounded. 
He was changed by Venus into the beautiful anemone. 
See Shakespeare's '• Venns and Adonis." Others say 
that to console Venus the gods decreed that he might 
return to life and spend the spring and summer with her, 
and that she must spend the rest of the year with him 
in the lower regions. 

Aclrastia (ad-ras-ti'a). Nemesis, one of the goddesses of 
justice, was sometimes known by this name. 

Aclscriplitii I>ii (ad-scrip-tish'i-i de-i). Gods of the sec- 
ond order or rank. 

Adversity. See Echidna. 

iEaciis (e'a-kus). The gate-keeper of hell, and with 
Minos and Rhadamantlius, judge of the lower regiojis. 
He was specially appointed to judge the Europeans. 

iEcastor (e-kas'tor). An oath used only by women, 
referring to the Temple of Castor. 



^DEPOL — ^GISTHUS 



23 



^de|>ol (ed'e-pol). An oath used by both men and 
women, referring to the Temple of Pollux. 

iKete§ (e-e'tez). King of Colchis, and father of Medea, 
a celebrated magician. See Jason. 

iEgeoii (e-je'on). A mighty giant with fifty heads and 
one hundred arms. He was imprisoned by Jupiter under 
Mount Etna. Probably the personification of earth- 
quakes. 

/Egeus (e'je-us). King of Athens, son of Pandion. He 
slew Androgens, son of Minos. Every eight years Minos 
demanded in satisfaction for the loss of his son, a tribute 
consisting of seven boys and seven girls of the noblest 
families of Athens, who were imprisoned in the vast 
labyrinth built by Daedalus, and presided over by the 
Minotaur. Theseus finally put an end to the grievous 
levy by slaying the monster. 

JJEginsL (e-ji'na) . An island in the Saronic Gulf on which 
were held annually mysterious festivals in honor of 
Hecate. 

^l^g'ipaiies (ej-i-pa'nez). Sometimes called Panisci. 
They were forest deities, and were represented, like Pan, 
with goat's legs. 

JEgis (e'jis). The shield of Jupiter, made of the skin of 
the goat Amalthea. In later times, the breastplate of 
Pallas Athene. 

JEg^istliu§ (e-jis'thus). The son of Thyestes, who, during 
Agamemnon's absence, married Clytemnestra, his wife. 
These two, upon the return of Agamemnon, resolved to 
compass his death, and although he w^s warned by 



24 



Cassandra against the lAot, lie fell an easy victim to 
their schemes. 

/Egle (Eg le). A daughter of Helios. The fairest of the 
Xaiads, See Lampetia. 

iEllo (a-el lo). See Harpies. 

^iiea.^ (E-ne'as). A Trojan prince, tlie son of Anchises 
and Venus. He fought with great valor during the siege 
of Troy, encountering Dionied and Achilles. When the 
Greeks set fire to the city, he placed his aged father on 
his slioulders, and taking his son by the hand, bade 
Creusa, his wife, follow closely. She. however, became 
Separated from ^neas and perislied within the city. 
After wandering about for several years he reached 
Italy, and was kindly received by Latin us. the king. 
After the death of the latter, ^neas succeeded to the 
tlirone, and became the founder of a new race. 

i£oliaii§ (E-o'li-anz). See Achceans. 

iEoliis (E^o-lus). God of tlie winds. He was tlie son of 
Hippotes, and lived in one of the rocky islands near the 
coast of Sicily. He confined the winds in a miglity cav- 
ern, and occasionally permitted them to blow over the 
world. When Ulysses, on his return from Troy, visited 
him, he gave him, tied up in a bag, all the winds that 
could prove contrary. The companions of Ulysses, sup- 
posing that the bag contained treasures, opened it slyly 
just as they were nearing port, and the baffling winds 
rushed forth and drove them far out of their course, 
^olu^ was a great astronomer, and also the inventor of 
gails, 



^SCULAPIUS — AGAMEMNON 



26 



i£§culapiu§ (es-cu-la'pi-us). The son of Apollo and 
Coronis, or, as some declare, of Apollo and Larissa. At 
his birth his mother died, struck by the arrow of Artemis. 
Apollo saved the child and placed him under the guard- 
ianship of Chiron who carefully instructed him in all 
the mysteries of the healing art. He became physician 
to the Argonauts in their expedition to Colchis, and was 
so celebrated for his cures that Pluto, becoming jealous 
of him, prevailed upon Jupiter to destroy him with a 
thunderbolt. Apollo, to avenge his son's death, slew 
the Cyclops who had forged the thunderbolt, ^scula- 
pius married Epione (or Epigone) and had two sons, 
Machaon and Podalirus, both celebrated physicians. He 
also had four daughters, of whom Hygeia, the goddess of 
health, was the most noted. After his death he was re- 
garded as a god in Greece ; festivals called Asclepia 
were held in his honor, and many temples were erected 
to him, and votive tablets hung therein by people who 
had been healed by him. See Coronides. 

JEt^ow (e'son). Son of ^olus and father of Jason. He 
was restored to youth by Medea. 

^ther (e'ther). The god of light. 

.^thon (e'thon). A personification of famine. 

.^thra (e'thra). A daughter of Pittheus, King of Troe- 
zene, and mother of Theseus. See Hyads. 

Agamemnon (ag-a-mem'non). Son of Plisthenes and 
king of Mycenae and Argus. He married Clytemnes- 
tra, and his brother, Menelaus, mairi(^d the beautiful 
Helen, botli daughters of Tyndarus. King of Sparta. 
Helen eloped with Paris, the son of Priam, to Troy, and 



26 



AGANIPPIDES— AJAX 



when Menelaus demanded her restoration and was re- 
fused, Agamemnon at once became the leader of all the 
Greek forces, and set out to compel her return. This 
was the occasion of the Trojan war, which lasted ten 
years. "While the Greek fleet was lying in the liarbor of 
Aulis, Agamemnon's fondness for the chase led him to 
kill a stag, and, in the pride of his success, to boast that 
he could excel the goddess of the chase herself. Tlie 
injured Diana first S3nt a calm which detained the fleet 
for a considerable time : tlien she demanded the sacri- 
fice of his daughter Iphigenia. When the altar liadljeen 
fully prepared, the goddess, satisfied with his intentions 
to make the sacrifice, suddenly appeared upon the scene 
and, proYiding a beautiful goat for the altar, carried off 
Iphigenia in a cloud to Tauris, and api^ointed her to the 
care of her temple there. 

Ag^auippides (ag-an-ip i-dez). A name derived from 
the fountain of Aganippe, and sometimes api)lied to the 
Muses. 

Age. See Golden Age. 

Agiiieu§ (aj-i-ne'us). Apollo, 

Ag^laia (ag-la/ya). One of the three Graces, noted spec- 
ial!}' for her beauty and goodness. 

Agiii (ag ni). The Hindoo god of lightning and of fire. 

Agriculture. See Ceres, Runcina. 

Ajax (a jax). Ajax and Achilles were the two foremost 
of the Greek lieroes in the Trojan war. When Achilles 
fell, Ajax and Ulysses seized his body, and, fighting all 
the way, carried it back to camp. Achilles' armor being 



ALCJBUS— ALECTRYON 



27 



offered ])y Thetis to tlie most deserving, was awarded to 
Ulysses, and Ajax, rendered insane by what he deemed 
the injustice of the award, fell upon his own sword and 
died. Some writers declare that instead of destroying 
himself he was slain by Paris : others that he was killed 
by Ulysses. This Ajax was the son of Telamon and 
Eriboea. Another Ajax, son of Oileus, also took a con- 
spicuous part in the war with Troy. 

Alcaeus (al-se'us). Son of Perseus and Andromeda and 
brother of Electryon. 

Alcameiies (al-kam'e-nez). An Athenian sculptor, a 
contemporary and rival of Phidias. 

Alcestis (al-ses'tis). See Admetus. 

Alcippe (al-sip'pe). A daughter of Mars and Aglaurus. 
For loving Halirrhotius, a son of Neptune, she was slain 
by her father. 

A Icicles (al-sfdez). A name given to Hercules. 

Alcmaeoii (alk-me'on). Son of Amphiaraus and Eriphyle. 
He slew his mother to avenge his father's death. 

Alcmena (alk-me'na). Wife of Jupiter and mother of 
Hercules. She was the daughter of Electryon, a king 
of Argos. 

Alcyone (al-sfo-ne). See Pleiades. 

Alecto (a-lek to). One of the three Furies. See Furies. 

Alectryon (a-lek'tri-on). A servant of Mars. He w^as 
changed into a cock for failing to warn his master of the 
approach of the rising sun. 



28 



ALFADUPv — AMAZONS 



Alfadur (al'fa dur). Tlie Supreme Being, Father of All, 
according to Scandinavian Mythology. 

Alma ]?Iaiiimosa (al ma mam-mo'sa) . One of the names 
applied to Ceres* 

Aloeii§ (a-loe-us). The father of Otus and Ephialtes, 
two giants, who once captured Mars and imprisoned liini 
for thirteen months in a huge bronze vase. 

Alplieiis (al-fe'us). One of the river gods. See Ai^ethusa. 

Al§ei(l§ (alse-ids). Nymphs of the woods and trees. 
See Nymphs. 

Altar. A table-like structure on which sacrifices were 
offered. Mere heaps of earth or rough unhewn stone 
served for altars in the earliest times. Later tlie sacri- 
fice was attended with more ceremony, and the altars 
became more imposing. Some were i^rovided with a 
kind of dish, into which frankincense was thrown to de- 
stroy the smell of biu*ning fat. This probably gave rise 
to the custom of burning incense at the altar. 

Althaea (al-the'a). Wife of Meleager. Some authori- 
ties say she was his mother. 

Aiiialtliaea (am-al-the'a). The goat which nourislied the 
infantile Jupiter while concealed in a cave on Mount 
Ida, in the island of Crete. 

Aiuaryiitliia (am-a-rin'thi-a). Tlie name applied to 
Diana in Euboea, where she was worshiped with great 
ceremony. 

Amazons. Scythian women wlio. in the Trojan war, 
fouglit valiantly against the Greeks. Hercules totally 



AMBARVALTA — AMPHION 



29 



defeated them, and gave to Theseus, Hippolyte, their 
queen, for a wife. 

Amt>arvalia (am-bar-va'li-a) . Festivals in honor of 
Ceres. These were instituted by the Eoman husband- 
men in order to purge tlieir fields. At the spring 
festival the head of each family led the animal to be 
sacrificed, decked with oak-boughs, around his grounds. 
He was followed by a procession with shouts and songs. 
After harvest another festival w^as lield, at which an 
offering of the first fruits of the season was made to 
Ceres. 

Amber. Supposed by the ancients to flow from poplar 
trees like tears. See Heliades^ Lampetia. 

Ambro!«iia (am-bro'zhi-a). Celestial food used by the 
gods. The term w^as sometimes applied to Bacchanalian 
festivals. 

Arnica (a-mi'ca). A name sometimes applied to Venus. 

Amnion. A famous oracle in Libya. 

Amor (a'mor). Eros and Amor were other names for 
Cupid. 

Amorettes (am-o-rets'). A name given to the troops of 
little winged figures wliich artists make to surround 
Aphrodite. Called also Erotes. 

Amphiaraii^ (am"fi-a-ra'us). Son of Oicles, and one of 
the seven heroes against Thebes. 

Amptiion (am-fi'on). Twin brother of .Zethus and the 
son of Jupiter and Antiope. He was so skilled in music 
that, at the sound of the lyre which Mercury made for 



AMPHITRTTE — ANCHISES 



him, the stones of Thebes arranged themselves in regu- 
lar layers to form the walls of the city. 

Ampliitrite (am-fi-tri te). Daughter of Oceanus and 
Tethys, wife of Neptune, and mother of Triton. She 
was goddess of the sea and had the care of its creatures. 
She was sometimes called Salatia. 

Aiiipliilryoii (am-fit'ri-on). Perseus and Andromeda 
]iad two sons, Electryon and Alcaeus. Alcmene, the 
mother of Hercules, was a daughter of the former, and 
Amphitryon, her husband, was a son of the latter. 

Aiiiyciis (am'i-cus). King of Bebrycia. He was a son 
of Neptune, and was famed for his skill in boxing, and 
for his cruelty to all strangers who entered his terri- 
tories. When the Argonauts landed on his coast to 
obtain fresh water, lie challenged their best boxer. 
Pollux accepted, and killed Aniycus in the contest. 

Amymone (am-i-mo'ne). Daughter of Danaus who bore 
to Neptune a son, Nauplius, a shipwrecker. 

Aiiauke (a-nanke). The Greek name for Fate. This 
deity was the offspring of Night and Erebus. Gods, as 
well as men, were subject to his unchanging decrees. 

Aiicaeus (an-se'us). Son of Neptune and one of the 
brave heroes of Greece who joined in the famous hunt 
of the Calydonian Boar. He left a cup of wine un- 
tasted to engage in the hunt, and was killed by the 
boar. This is supposed to be the origin of the proverb, 
*' There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.'" 

Ancliises (an-ki'sez). The father of ^neas, and grand- 
father of Julius, the founder of the great Julian family 
in Rome. 



ANCILIA — ANEMONE 



31 



Aneilia (an-sil'i-a). These were twelve sacred Roman 
shields. The first is said to have been sent by Mars in 
answer to the petition of the Roman populace for pro- 
tection. Eleven others were made so nearly like the 
first, that only the priests were able to distinguish them 
from the first. Like the Palladium in the temple of Vesta, 
these shields were regarded with the greatest veneration. 
A Roman general, before going to war, would propitiate 
the god of war by going to the temple of Mars and 
touching the sliield with his lance. As the perpetuity 
of the nation was supposed to depend upon the preser- 
vation of tlie aneilia, an order of priests was organized 
to take care of them. On the first of March in each 
year the shields were carried in procession, and in 
the evening a great feast, called Coena Saliaris, was 
held. 

Aiiclrogcus (an-dro'je-us). Son of Minos. He was slain 
by ^geus, king of Attica. See JEgeus. 

Andromaclie (an-drom'a-ke). Wife of the Trojan 
hero, Hector, and mother of Astyanax. In the distribu- 
tion of the noble Trojan captives among the Greek 
heroes, she fell to the lot of Neoptolemus. 

Aiiclromecia (an-drom'e-da). The beautiful daughter 
of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, king and queen of the 
EtJiiopians. She jvas rescued from the jaws of a ter- 
rible sea-monster, by Perseus, and afterward became his 
wife. See Cassiopeia. 

Anemone (a-nem'o-ne). The tears that Venus shed for 
her beloved Adonis, as they fell to the ground, were 
changed into this flower, the anemone. 



32 



ANGEKOKIA — AN UBIS 



Aii§^eroilia (an-ge-ro'ni-a). This goddess, sometimes 
called Yolupia, had power to drive away grief and an- 
guish of mind. 

Auteeus (an-te^us). A giant, the offspring of Neptune. 
In a contest with Hercules, Antaeus gained fresh strength 
from contact with the earth each time he was thrown. 
At last Hercules observed this, and, lifting his antagonist 
off his feet, squeezed him to death. 

Aiitero§ (an'te-ros). God of passion. Son of Venus and 
Mars. 

Aiitliesteria (an-thes-te'ri-a). One of the festivals in 
honor of Bacchus, held in the month of February. The 
first day of the festival was called " cask-opening day," 
the second, pouring-day." 

Aiiticlea (an-tik'le-a). The mother of Ulysses. 

Aiitig:oiie (an-tig'o-ne) . One of the two daughters of 
CEdipus and Jocaste. After her father had put out his 
eyes and abandoned the throne of Thebes, this faithful 
daughter followed him and ministered to his wants as 
he roamed from place to place. 

Aiitiope (an-ti'o-pe). Daughter of Thebe and Nycteus, 
who, as regents, governed the kingdom of Thebes during 
the minority of Labdacus. Jupiter, disguised as a satyr, 
led her astra^^ and corrupted her. 

Aiitiiiiii (an'shi-um). A town in Italy where the goddess 
Fortuna had an oracle. Her principal worshipers were 
newly-married women. 

Aiiiibis (a-nu'bis). In Egyptian mythology, the name of 
one whose duty it was to weigh the good and the bad 



AONIDES — APOLLO 



33 



deeds of the disembodied spirits in the scale of truth be- 
fore handing them over to Osiris. Also called Hernia- 
nubis. 

Aoiiides (a-on'i-dez). From the country Aonia. A term 
applied to the Muses. 

Apaturia (ap-a-tu'ri-a). A festival of the Athenians in 
which a prominent place by the side of Jupiter and 
Athene was assigned to Vulcan in his capacity of god of 
the hearth and protector of the home. 

Apeliotes (a-pe"li-o'tez). The southwest wind, an 
Athenian wind-god. 

Aphrodite (af-ro-di'te). A name applied by the Greeks 
to Venus. 

Api§ (a'pis). The sacred bull of Egypt, known also by 
the names Mnevis and Onuphis. 

Apollo. God of the sun, music, poetry, and medicine. 
He was the son of Jupiter and Latona, and twin brother 
of Diana. He was the god of many names, the most 
common of which are : Sol, Helios, Plioebus, Cynthius, 
Delphinius, Didymseus, Agineus, Pythius,, Nomius, and 
Paean. He was banished from heaven for killing the 
Cyclops, wlio, by Jupiter's order, forged the thunder- 
bolts with which ^sculapius was slain. The symbols 
of Apollo were the laurel, lyre, wolf, stag, raven, swan, 
and dolphin. Tlie nine Muses were subject to him. His 
favorite residence was on Mount Parnassus. Being sin- 
gularly beautiful and accomplished, he had many love 
adventures, ^sculapius and Phaeton were the most 
renowned of his children. See Neptune, Phaeton, 
3 



84 



APOTHEOSIS — ARCHEMORITS 



Apotheosis (ap-o-the'o-sis). The ceremony of the dei- 
fication and consecration of a god. 

Apple. See Atalanta, Atlas, Discordia, Hesperides, 
Idima, TitcEa, 

Aracliiie (a-rak'ne). A Mseonian maid whom Minerva 
had taught to weave, became so vain of her accomplish- 
ments that she one day challenged the goddess to a trial 
of skill. Unable to find a flaw in the work of her pupil, 
Minerva angrily struck her on the head with her shuttle, 
whereupon Arachne hanged herself. Minerva then 
changed her into a spider, which, in Greek, is called 
arachne. According to another version, Arachne, re- 
membering her oft-repeated boasts, was so humiliated 
upon seeing the superior workmanship of Minerva that 
she went off and hanged herself, whereupon the goddess, 
desiring to teach a lesson to all conceited youths, trans- 
formed her dangling body into a spider, and condemned 
her to w^eave and spin forever more. 

Areadia. The favorite hunting-ground of Diana. A 
delightful country of peaceful pastoral life in the central 
part of Peloponnesus. Here Apollo is reputed to have 
reigned. 

Areas. Son of Jupiter and Callisto. Being driven from 
home by the offended Juno, he and his mother were at 
last found by Jupiter who pitied them and transformed 
them into bears, and afterward transferred them to the 
skies where they form the constellations of the Great and 
the Little Bear. See Callisto. 

Arehemorus (ar-kem'o-rus). Hypsipyle being en- 
trusted with the duty of tending the young child, 
Opheltes, son of Lycurgus, laid him upon the ground 



AKCHEKY — ARGTJS 



35 



while she directed the Seven gainst Thebes to a well of 
water. Upon her return she found the child dead 
within the coils of a snake. Amphiaraus declared the 
reptile to be a mysterious creature sent by Zeus, and on 
this account he re-named the child Archemorus, the 
" dawn of mystery." 

Archery. See Uller, Vali. 

Areopagus (ar-e-op'a-gus). A hill near Athens ; site of 
the Parthenon. Also the tribunal where Mars (Greek, 
Ares) was tried for murder. The judges were called 
areopagitce. 

Ares (a'rez). The Greek name for Mars. See -Mars. 

Arethusa (ar-e-thu'za). One of the most beautiful 
and virtuous of Diana's nymphs. She was pursued by 
Alpheus, a river god, but escaped by being transformed 
by Diana into a stream which flowed underground. 

Arges (ar'jez). One of the three cyclops. He repre- 
sented a stream of light. 

Argiope (ar-ji'o-pe) . A nymph, the mother of Thamyris. 

Argo. The ship built by Jason for the expedition of the 
Argonauts, the largest ship that had ever been seen in 
Greece. 

Argonauts. The name given to the fifty heroes who, 
under Jason, sailed to Colchis in the ship Argo, to secure 
the Golden Fleece. 

Argos, A city in Argolis dedicated to Juno. 

Argus. A myriad-eyed giant who was set to watch lo, 
a beautiful maiden, who had been converted into a 
heifer by Jupiter in order to conceal his intrigue from 



36 



AKIADNE 



the e^^es of his watchful spouse Juno. Half of the eves 
of Argus slept while the other half waked and w^atched. 
So dutiful was he that Jupiter was prevented from steal- 
ing even a glance at lo. Jupiter called to his aid his 
faithful messenger, Mercury, who first lulled Argus to 
sleep and then killed him, but before he could drive the 
heifer away. Juno discovered his design, and sent a tor- 
menting gadfly to attack the beautiful beast, which 
caused her to rush madly from country to country, and 
to plunge- into the sea, which was afterward called the 
Ionian sea. She ultimately landed in Egypt where 
Jupiter restored her to the beautiful maiden she had 
once been. Here her son Epaphus was born, who be- 
came the first king and the founder of Memphis. Juno, 
grieving over the loss of her faithful Argus, gathered up 
his myriad eyes, and with them bedecked the tail of her 
favorite bird, the peacock, that she might ever have a 
memento of him near her side. 
.Iriadiie (a-ri-ad'ne). The beautiful daughter of Minos, 
king of Crete. By means of a clew of thread she en- 
abled Theseus to escape from the fearful labyrinth, in 
which so many handsome youths and beautiful maidens 
of Athens had been devoured by the dreaded Minotaur, 
and sailed with him and his companions to the beautiful 
island of Naxos. Overcome with fatigue, she fell asleep 
on the shore, and the inconstant Theseus, with his com- 
panions, sailed away, leaving her behind. On waking, 
she was filled with grief and despair, and wept bitterly. 
Echo came to taunt her with her mocking cries. Venus 
consoled her, and Bacchus soon after wooed and won 
her. He gave her a crown of seven stars, Avliicli became 
the constellation, Corona Borealis, or Northern Crown. 



AEION — ASCALAPHUS 



37 



Arioai (a-ri'on). A celebrated lyric poet and musician 
who resided at the court of Periander, king of Corinth. 
After visiting other countries he embarked at Sarentum 
to return home, but the seamen robbed him and threat- 
ened to cast him into the sea. He begged them to let 
him play once more upon his harp before they cast him 
overboard. The dolphins, charmed with the music, 
flocked around the vessel, and when Arion threw him- 
self into the sea, one of them took him up and carried 
him to Taenarus, near Corinth. In recognition of this 
kindly act, the dolphin was turned into a constellation 
of heaven. The name Arion is also applied to a winged 
horse which was wonderfully fleet. 

Ari§taeus (ar-is-te'us). Son of Apollo and Cyrene. He 
presided over the trees of the forest, acquainted man- 
kind with the uses of honey and oil, and showed how 
oil is obtained from olives. Like his son, Actaeon, he 
was a famous hunter. 

Armata (ar-ma'ta). A name sometimes applied to Venus. 

Arsiiioe (ar-sin'o-e). An admirer of Venus, whom she 
disliked, and transformed into a stone. 

Artemis (ar'te-mis). Goddess of the Chase. The Gre- 
cian name for Diana. The festivals in her honor were 
held at Delphi and were called Artemisia. 

Arts. See Muses, Phidias. 

Aruspices (a-rus'pi-sezj. A name applied to soothsayers 
and to sacrificial priests. 

Ascalaphus (as-kal'a-fus) . He informed Pluto that 
Proserpine had eaten pomegranate seeds in the infernal 



88 



ASCANTUS — ASTYA^AX 



regions, wliich act prevented lier from returning to the 
eartli. Ceres, the niotlier of Proserpine, punislieel As- 
calaplius by changing him into an owl, tlie bird of ill- 
omen. Jupiter, to comfort Ceres, permitted Proserpine 
to spend six months of the year with her mother on the 
earth, and the remainder of the year with Pluto in 
Hades. 

A§eaiiius (as-ka'ni-us) . The son of ^^neas and Creusa. 

Asclepia (as-kle'pi-a). Festivals in lionor of ^^sculapius. 

Asclepiiis (as-kle'pi-us). Another name for ^sculapius. 

Aseolia (as-ko'li-a). Bottles of leather used in the Gre- 
cian games. The term is also applied to Bacchanalian 
feasts. 

A§opii§ (a-so'pus) . A river-god wdiose daughter, ^^gina, 
w^as carried off by Jupiter. 

A!>i§abi]iii$ (as-sa-bi'nus). The Ethiopian name for 
Jupiter. 

As§'§ Ears. See Midas. 

A§tarte (as-tar'te). The Phoenician name for Venus. 
Asteria (as-te'ria). Daughter of Caeus, and goddess of 

the starry night. Jupiter, under the form of an eagle, 

carried her off. 

Astraeais (as-tre'us). See Boreas, Wind Gods. 

Astrea (as-tre'a). Daughter of Zeus and Themis, and 
mother of Nemesis. Goddess of justice and good faith, 
modesty and truth. 

Astronomy. See Urania. Stars. 
Astyaiiax (as-ti'a-nax). See Andromache. 



ATALANTA — ATLAS 



39 



4talaTita (at-a-lan'ta). Daughter of Caeneus, and a na- 
tive of Arcadia. She was exceedingly beautiful, and 
had many suitors, but was forbidden, by the oracle, to 
marry. Being very fleet of foot, she agreed to marry the 
one who should outstrip her in the race, but, to prevent 
her admirers from entering the lists, she declared that 
all who were defeated should be slain. The terms were 
hard, but Hippomenes, desiring to win her, invoked tlie 
aid of Venus, who gave him three golden apples, one of 
wliich he rolled at the feet of Atalanta whenever she 
passed him. She stopped to pick them up, and he was 
thus enabled to reach the goal first, and won the prize. 
In the excess of his joy he forgot to return thanks to 
Venus for her assistance, which offeuded tlie goddess, 
and she turned them both into lions. See Parthenium. 

A.te (a'te). The goddess of mischief, guilt, discord, and 
all evil. After being banished from lieaven by Jupiter, 
she wandered over the earth searching for victims, and 
running before men to mislead them. Slie was swift of 
foot and strong in body. 

Atliama§ (ath'a-mas). Husband of Leucothea, or Ino. 

Athena (a-the'na). Another name for Minerva as the 
tutelary goddess of Athens. 

Athos (a'thos). A promontory in Greece on which the 
Persian fleet v/as wrecked b}^ Boreas, the North Wind, 
in answer to the prayer of the Athenians. An altar to 
Boreas was afterward erected by them. 

Atlaiiticls (at-lan'tidz). Nymphs, the offspring of Atlas, 
and belonging to the same order as the Pleiads. 

4tla§. An enormous giant who stood upon the western 
confines of the earth, and supported the heavens on his 



40 



AT REUS 



shoulders. King of Mauritania, the northwestern por- 
tion of Africa. Hercules, in his search for the Hesperian 
apples, was told by Atlas that he would get them for 
him if Hercules would relieve him of his burden, to 
which proposition Hercules acceded. Atlas stole into 
the garden of the Hesperides, slew the dragon in his 
sleep, plucked the golden apples, and returned unmo- 
lested. His relief from the burden of the world was so 
sweet that he resolved that Hercules might continue to 
bear the load, and declared tliat he would carry the 
apples to Eurystheus who had appointed the twel\e 
labors to Hercules. As a special favor, Hercules asked 
that Atlas would assume the load while he adjusted a 
cushion to his shoulders. To this Atlas readily assented, 
and throwing the golden apples to the ground, took up 
the load he had so long borne, but Hercules, instead of 
preparing his shoulders for the burden, picked up the 
apples, and left Atlas as he had first found him. Atlas 
liad seven daughters by his wife Pleione, and seven by 
his wife ^thra. The former were called Pleiades ; the 
latter Hyades. Both groups became celestial constel- 
lations. The Atlantids and the Hesperides, other 
nymphs, are also accounted the offspring of Atlas. For 
his inhospitafity to Perseus, that king changed Atlas 
into the mountain which bears his name. 
Atreus (a'tre-us). Son of Pelops and Hippodamia. He 
and his brother Thyestes, having slain Chrysippus, were 
obliged to leave Elis, and found refuge in Mycena^. After 
the death of Eurystheus, Atreus became ruler of Mycenee. 
^rope, wife of Atreus and daughter of Minos, was in- 
duced by Thyestes to assist him in carrying off the ram 
with the golden fleece, tlie possession of which was sup- 



ATROPOS — AUGEAS 



41 



posed to secure the government of the country. Jupiter 
interfered, and the scheme failed. Thyestes returned and 
was received with the semblance of reconciliation, but 
was horrified to find that he was presented at meat with 
the flesh of his son. Thyestes subsequently slew At reus. 

Atropos (at'ro-pos). See The Fates, 

Attis. A young Phrygian shepherd whose extraordinary 
beauty won the heart of the daughter of the king of 
Pessinus. The goddess Rhea suddenly appeared among 
the guests at the wedding, spreading great consterna- 
tion. Attis fled to the mountains where he stabbed 
himself and died, leaning against a pine tree into which 
his soul passed, while, from his blood, sprang banks of 
violets about the tree. The pine was therefore regarded 
as a symbol of winter and of sadness ; the violet a sym- 
bol of spring and of hopefulness. 

Atys (a'tis). Son of Croesus. He was born without the 
power of speech, but seeing a soldier about to kill the 
king, he exclaimed Save the king," and had the power 
of speech ever after. 

Augean l^tables. See Augeas. 

Aug^eas (au-je'as) . Some authorities say that he was the 
son of Helios, because light streamed constantly from 
his eyes. He was the rich prince of Elis, the owner of 
the stable wliich Hercules cleansed by turning the river 
Alpheus, or Menius, through it, after it had been -occu- 
pied by three thousand oxen for thirty years. Hercules 
was to receive one-tenth part of the cattle for this service, 
but as Augeas failed to keep his promise, Hercules slew 
him. 



42 



AUGUilY — AVEKNUS 



Augury, By the flight of birds, the examination of the 
entrails of animals, and in other ways, the Romans as- 
sumed to be able to foretell future events. The officiat- 
ing ijriest was called an augur. The woodpecker was 
regarded as a sacred symbol of prophecy. Later the 
symbol was changed to the figure of a youtli with a 
woodpecker on his head. 

Aulis (aw'lis). The port where the Greek fleet of more 
than a thousand ships assembled before setting out for 
Troy. 

Auloniads (au-lo'ni-adz). See NympJis. 

Aura (aw'ra). The goddess of the Morning Wind. 

Aurora. The goddess of the morning " whose rosy fin- 
gers ope the gates of day." Daughter of Sol and mother 
of the stars and winds. By some she was regarded as 
the daughter of Theia and Hyperion. At her api)roach 
the red beams of morning spread, not unlike the fingers 
of a giant hand, hence "the rosy-fingered morn."' By 
some she is figured as riding in a golden chariot drawn 
by four white horses ; by others, as riding on tlie winged 
horse, Pegasus, which Jupiter gave Aurora after Bel- 
lerophon had failed to ride it up the heights of Olympus. 

Auster (aws'ter). The South Wind. A son of Jupiter. 

Autonoe (aw-ton'o-e) . One of the four daughters of Cad- 
mus and Harmonia. She married Aristaeus, and became 
the mother of Actaeon, the famous huntsman. 

Avernus (a-ver'nus). A lake situated at the entrance of 
the infernal regions, which was so poisonous that birds, 
in attempting to fly over it, fell lifeless into its waters. 



AVERP.UNCUS— BACCHUS 



43 



Averruiicu§ I>eiis (a-ver-mn'cus deus). Among the 

Romans, a god who could divert men from doing evil. 
Axe. See Dcedalus, 



Baal (Ba'al). A Phoenician deity. The name implies 
" lord," and is applied to the sun. Baalbek means city 
of the sun." The Greeks called that city Heliopolis. 

Baal-peor (ba'al-pe'or). A Moabitish god, presiding 
over obscenity and licentiousness. 

JSabe§. See Riimina Dea, Infants. 

Bacchantes (bac-can'tez). The priestesses who with 
wild shouts and songs took part in the Bacchanalia, or 
feasts of Bacchus. 

JEBacclius (bak'kus). God of revelry and wine. He was 

the son of Jupiter and Semele, and is supposed to liave 
been born at Thebes. Juno, becoming jealous of Semele, 
entreated Jupiter that he should present himself before 
Semele in all his majesty as the god of Thunder. Semele 
was killed by one of Jupiter's fearful bolts ; but in the 
moment of her death gave birth to Bacchus. To pre- 
serve him from the rage of Juno, he was secretly con- 
veyed by Hermes, the messenger of the gods, to a place 
called Nysa, where his childhood was happily spent among 
the nymphs, satyrs, herdsmen, and vine-tenders. From 
these he acquired a knowledge of many of the arts of 
peace. When he reached manhood he started on an ex- 
tended journey, and, on the way, he instructed the peo- 
ple in the arts he possessed, and was everywliere received 
as a great benefactor. Being opposed by Lycurgus, king 



44 



BAKER — BEAUTY 



of Thrace, he droTe this monarch mad and caused him 
to destroy his son, and afterward, in despair, to slay 
himself, thus, doubtless, representing the evil effects of 
over-indulgence in the use of wine. Bacchus is some- 
times styled the " god of many names." The following 
are among the most common : Dionysius, Dithyrambus, 
Bromius, Biformis, Brisaeus, lacchus, Lenaeus, Lyceus, 
Liber Pater. After Ariadne had been deserted by The- 
seus, Bacchus married her. 

Baker. See Pilumnus, 

Balios (ba ll-OS). A horse given to Peleus by Neptune 
as a wedding i^resent. 

Barker. See Anubis. 

Bassaricles (bas-sar i-dez). A name sometimes applied 

to the priestesses of Bacchus. 
Battle. See Valhalla. 

Battu§. The name of the rustic who informed Apollo 
of the trick the mischievous Mercury played upon hiai 
in stealing and hiding away his cattle. 

Baueis (baw sis). Philemon and his devoted wife Bau- 
cis, an aged couple, once entertained Jupiter so lios- 
pitably, that lie transformed their humble abode into a 
splendid temple, and granted their request that when 
death came they might die together. At death they 
were transformed into two trees, an oak and a linden, 
and grew side by side. 

Bear. See Callisto, Areas, Calliste, Parthenium. 

Beauty. See Aglaia, Andromeda, Arethusa, Ariadne, 
Atalanta, Briseis, Cleitiis, Galaitea, Ganymede, Helena, 



BED — BELUS 



45 



Hippodamia, Hylas, Hyperion, lo, Laodamia, Medusa, 
Narcissus, Niobe, Penelope, Proserpine, Stheneboea, Venus. 

Bed. See Damastes, Procrustes. 

Bees. See Mellona. 

Belisama (be-lis'a-ma). The Queen of Heaven, a god- 
dess of the Gauls. 

Belleroplion (bel-ler'o-fon). The hero who slew the 
Chiiiiaera, a strange creature composed of a lion in front, 
a goat in the middle, and a serpent in the rear. It in- 
fested the mountains, and destroyed all who attacked it. 
Riding on the back of Pegasus, the winged horse, Bel- 
leroplion was carried just high enough to be out of reach 
of the monster's jaws, and yet was able to use his spear 
with deadly effect. 

Belleros (bel'le-ros). Bellerophon signifies slayer of 
Belleros." Some suppose that Bellerophon accidental!}^ 
killed a person by that name, and that he paid the 
penalty for that crime by having to fight the Chimaera. 

Belloiia (bel-lo'na). AVife of Mars. Goddess of war. 
Her priests were called Bellonarii. On the 24th of 
March, Bellona's Day, her votaries hacked themselves 
with knives, and drank the blood of their sacrifices. 

Belplieg-or (bel'fe-gor) . See Baal-peor. 

Belus (be'lus). The son of Neptune and Libya. He suc- 
ceeded to the tlirone of Egypt, and marrying Ancirrhoe, 
a daughter of the Nile, became the father of two sons, 
Egyptus and Danaus. Belus is also the Chaldean name 
of the sun. 



46 



BERECYNTHIA — BLUE EYES 



Berecyiitllia (ber-e-sin'tlii-a). The name of Cj^bele, or 
Rhea, from a mountain where slie was worshiped. 

Bias. Brother of Melampus, the prophet and priest who 
cured the daughters of Proetus of the strange halkicina- 
tion of supposing that they were cows, and who went 
about lowing like kine. They afterwards became the 
wives of Bias and Melampus, 

Biforiuis (bi-for'mis). One of the many names applied 
to Bacchus. The term signifies having two forms, or 
two faces. He was sometimes represented as bearded 
and sometimes beardless. 

fSifroiis (bi fronz). The term signifies two-headed, and 
was applied to Janus. 

Bircl§. Eagle (see Ganymede, Jupiter), Hawk (Nysiis), 
Hoopoe (Philomela), Kingfisher {Halcyon), Lark 
(Scylla), Magpies (Pierides) , Nightingale {Philomela), 
Owl {Polyplionte) , Partridge {Perdix), Pheasant 
(Itys), Swallow {Philomela) , Swan {Cygnus), Vulture 
{Erchidna, Prometheus, Tityu<), Woodpecker {Piciis), 
Argus, Augury, Coronis, Harpies, Hercules, Sirens, 
Stymphalides. 

Birtlis. See Lucina, Levana, Clotho, Fates, Pilumnus, 
Blaekismitli. See Vidcan, Brontes. 
Blame. See Momus. 

Blind. See Pliiueus, Pluto, Thamyris, Tiresias, 
Blood. See Hyacinthus, Hydra, Medusa, 
Blo§iS)Omiiig^. See ThaJes, 
Blue Eyes. See Glaukopis. 



BOAR— BUBOKA 47 
Koar. See Hercules, Lcelaps. 

Bona Dea (bo na de a). The goddess of fertility, wor- 
shiped chiefly by the Roman matrons. 

JBonus Evesitu§ (bo'nus e-ven'tus). The god of success. 

ISorea§ (bo re-as). See Wind Gods, Cliloris. 

Boundarie§. See Terminus, Hermce. 

Boxing. See Pollux, Games. 

Brahma (bra^ma). The chief divinity among the 
Hindus, 

Briareiis (bri-a're-us). A hundred-handed giant. One 
of the Centimani. 

Bribery. See Myrtilus. 

Bri§£eu§ (bri-se'us). See Bacchus. The name has refer- 
ence to the use ot' grapes and honey. 

Brisei^ (bri-se'is). A beautiful maiden who fell to the 
lot of Achilles in the division of the spoils after the siege 
of Troy. 

Britomarti§ (brit-o-mar'tis). A name applied to Diana 
as protector of the interests of fishermen on lakes and 
rivers, and on the shores and arms of the sea. 

Bromius (bro'mi-us). See Bacchus. 

Brontes (bron'tez). One of the three Cyclops. The 

blacksmitli who manufactured thunder. 
Bronze Age. See Golden Age. 

Bubona (bu-bo'na). A rural divinity, goddess of herds- 
men. 



48 



BUDDHA — CADMUS 



Suddha (bood'da). The founder of the Buddhist re- 
ligion, the personification of the preserving power of the 
divine spirit. 

Bullock. See Apis, Europa, Fortuna, Milo, Osiris, 
Phoenix, Zethus. 

Busirl§ (bu-si'ri.s) . Among the wonderful deeds related 
of Achilles was the slaying of Busiris, whose practise 
had been to sacrifice all strangers that ventured into his 
dominions. 

Byblis (bi'blis). A niece of Sol who wept so much that 
she was changed into a fountain. 



Catoiri (ka-bi'ri). Grecian divinities worshiped espe- 
cially in Lemnos, Samothrace, and Imbros. The rites 
attending their worship are supposed to have been quite 
obscene. 

€aeo daemon (kak-o-de'mon). An evil spirit. 

Cacus (ka'kus). A son of Vulcan, a three-headed giant 
slain by Hercules for stealing some of Geryon's cows, 
which Hercules had captured. 

Cadmilus (kad-mflus). Sometimes called Casmilus, a 
name applied to Mercury by the inhabitants of Samo- 
thrace and the neighboring islands, especially in his office 
of the god who causes the flocks and herds to be prolific. 

Cadmus (cad'mus). The father of Semele and brother of 
Europa. He was one of the earliest of the Greek demi- 
gods, and is said to have invented letters, his alphabet 
consisting of sixteen characters. He founded Thebes, 



CADUCETJS — CALCHAS 



49 



and rendered important service to Greece. lie slew the 
Boeotian dragon and scattered its teeth over the ground, 
and each tooth grew up into an armed giant. These 
wild creatures, called Spartae, were about to attack 
Cadmus, when he threw a stone among them which 
greatly infuriated them, and each supposing that the 
stone had been thrown by one of the other giants, they 
attacked and slew one another until only five remained. 
These quickly sheathed their swords and became subject 
to Cadmus, and from them the noblest families of 
Thebes afterward traced their descent. 

Cadueeu§ (ka-du'she-us). The rod given to Mercury 
by Apollo in exchange for the lyre. It had the power 
of reconciling all elements in opposition. Seeing two 
serpents quarreling, Mercury instantly thrust the rod 
between them, whereupon they peacefully twined 
themselves about it, and Mercury commanded them to 
remain there forever. Milton refers to the caduceus as 
the " opiate rod," from its power to produce sleep. See 
Mercury. 

Caeiieus (se'ne-us). Father of Atalanta, the beautiful 
virgin who was afterward changed by Neptune into a 
' man and rendered invulnerable. 

Caeus (se'us). . Father of Asteria. 

Calais (cal'a-is). Zetes and Calais, the winged sons of 
Boreas, out of gratitude to Phineas for showing the 
Argonauts the way to Colchis, slew the Harpies, and 
thus freed him from their persecution. 

Calelias (karkas). A Grecian high priest who was 
consulted before the sailing of the Greeks against Troy. 
4 



50 



CALLIOPE — CAMILLUS 



Calliope (cal-H'o-pe). One of the nine Muses, mother 
of Orpheus, and beloved of Apollo. She presided over 
rhetoric and epic poetry. By some she is accounted the 
mother of Hymen. 

Callirrlioe (cal-lir'ho-e). One of the Oceanids, nymphs 
of fountains and streams. 

Calliste (caWis'te). In Arcadia, Diana was worshiped 
under tlie form of a she-bear, and called Calliste. 

Callisto (kal-lis'to). An Arcadian maiden beloved of 
Jupiter, who, out of jealous hate on the part of Juno, 
his rightful spouse, was changed by her into a she-bear 
and driven into the forest. Here her son Areas, while 
hunting, would liave killed her, had not Jupiter inter- 
vened, and changed liim into a he-bear. They were 
both transformed into the constellations the Great Bear 
and the Little Bear. 

Calpe (kal pe). One of the Pillars of Hercules. 

Calves. See Proteus. 

Calydotiiaii Boar (cal-i-do'ni-an). The ferocious 
beast that laid waste the country around Calydon, defy- 
ing the spears of ordinary men, and finally slain by 
Meleager. 

Calyp§o (ka-lip'so). Daughter of Oceanus, and queen of 
the island of Ogygia, on which Ulysses was wrecked, 
and where he was prevailed upon to stay seven, some 
say eight, years. See Ulysses^ Trinacria. 

Camillii§ (ca-mil'lus). A name given to Mercury on 
account of his office as minister to the gods. Also the 
name of one of the unborn spirits seen by Anchises in 



CAMPUS MARTIUS — CARNEUS 61 



Hades, and who were to achieve greatness at a later day 
in Rome. The others were Romulus, Brutus, Caesar, 
and the Gracchi. 

Campus I^artius (cam'pus mar'shi-us) . See Mars. 

Canaclie (can'a-ke). One of Actaeon's hounds. 

Canopus (ca-no pus). The god of water among the 
Egyptians. 

Capaneus (ca-pa'ne-us) . One of the seven against 
Thebes, son of Hipponous of Argos. 

Capula (cap'u-la). A cup constructed with ears or 
handles, used in drinking the health of the gods. 

Capitoliniis (cap-i-to-li'nus). One of Jupiter's names. 
So called because a temple on the Capitoline hill was 
dedicated to him. 

Capripede^i (ca-pripe-dez). From caper, a goat, and 
pes, a foot. A name given to the Fauns, Satyrs, and 
Egipans, because, like Pan, they had goat's feet. 

Caprotina (cap-ro-ti na). Another name for Juno. 

Carneia (car-ne'ya). A Spartan festival held in August, 
and conducted with much zeal in honor of Carneus. 
For several days, during its continuance, the people 
would remove from the cities and dwell in tents in the 
groves and on the hillsides to escape the heat of the dog- 
days. 

Carneus (car-ne'us). A name applied to Apollo, who, 
as god of summer heat, creates disease, and whose 
arrows carry death into the cities and towns. 



52 



C ARPO — CA STALIDES 



Carpo. Thallo and Carpo were the two goddesses of 
seasons. The latter was worshiped in Athens as the 
goddess of harvest and fruit. 

Cas§aiidra (cas-san'dra). The beautiful daughter of 
Priam and Hecuba, and sister of Paris. Apollo bestowed 
upon her the gift of prophecy, but failing to win her 
love, and being unable to recall his gift, he annulled her 
power* by causing the people to disbelieve her state- 
ments. After the siege of Troy she was carried off by 
Agamemnon as a trophy of war. 

Cassiopeia (cas'si-o-pe'ya). Wife of Cepheus and mother 
of the beautiful Andromeda. So vain was she of her 
daughter's beauty that she declared the beauty of the 
sea-nymphs was not to be compared to hers. This gave 
offense to Neptune, who thereupon visited the country 
with a great flood, and sent a dreadful sea-niunster to 
destroy both men and cattle. Cepheus was informed by 
the oracle that the evil would not abate unless he sac- 
rificed Andromeda, who was thereupon chained to a 
rock to be devoured by the frightful beast. Here 
Perseus, who was flying homeward after having slain 
the Gorgon Medusa, discovered Andromeda just in time 
to rescue her from the jaws of the terrible sea-monster, 
and was rewarded by receiving her as his wife. Perseus 
was ever in such high favor with the gods that, at his 
death, he and Andromeda and Cassiopeia were changed 
to a constellation of the stars. 

Castalia (cas-ta'li-a). The fountain of the Muses on 
Mount Parnassus. 

Castalides (cas-tal i-dez) . A name applied to the Muses, 
from the fountain Castalia. 



CASTOR — CENTAURS 



53 



Ca§tor. Son of Jupiter and Leda, and twin-brother of 
Pollux. He was skilled in horsemanship. He joined 
Meleager in search of the Calydonian, Boar, and was 
prominent in the expedition of the Argonauts. See 
Dioscuri, 

Cattle. See Rumina. 

€auea§u§ (caw'ca-sus). See Prometheus. 

Cautlier (caw'ther). The lake of paradise in Mohamme- 
dan mythology. Every believer who tastes of its waters 
will thirst no more. 

Cave. See Amalthcea, Charybdis, Chiron, Cronus, Greece, 
Horn Gate, Ida, Nereides. 

Cecropia (se-ci-o'pi-a). See Cecrops. 

Cecrops (se'crops). King over the primitive race of 
Attica. He established himself in the Acropolis of 
Athens, and gathered around him a township which he 
called Cecropia. He had three daughters, Herse, 
Aglaurus, and Pandrosus. Herse became the mother of 
Ceryx, from whom the priestly family of heralds in Attica 
derived their lineage. Aglaurus bore a daughter to the god 
Ares. Pandrosus became the first priestess of Athene. 

Celaeno (se-le'no). One of the three Harpies, half 
woman, half bird. Called also Podarge. See Harpies. 

Centaurs (cen'tawrz). Children of Ixion ; represented 
with the head, arms, and body of a man, supported ui)on 
the body and legs of a horse. The combats between 
them and the Lapithae formed an attractive subject for 
the Greek sculptors. The Centaurs lived in Thessaly. 



54 



CENTIMANI - CERES 



Centimaiii (cen-tim'a-ni). Three sons of Uranus and 
Gsea, hideous hundred-handed creatures sent to join the 
Titans in Tartarus. They assisted in making the dark- 
ness terrible by their unceasing clamor for freedom. 
They were named Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges. 

Ceplialiis (sef'a-lus). He was regarded as the type of 
constancy, but the jealousy of Procris, his wife, had been 
aroused by Aura, the goddess of the morning wind, 
whose sly advances Cephalus had steadfastly withstood. 
To assure herself, Procris one day secreted herself in the 
thicket near by where Cephalus was wont to rest from the 
fatigue of the chase, and from the heat of the noonday 
sun. Cephalus, hearing a slight noise in the thicket, and 
mistaking it for that of a wild beast, hurled his spear 
and slew Procris. 

Ceplieus (se'fe-us). See Cassiopeia. 

Cepliii^siis (se-fis'sus). See Eiver-gods. 

€eraiiiiui§ (se-rau'ni-us). The Fulminator. A name 
applied by the Greeks to Jupiter on account of his 
terrible thunderbolts. 

Cerberus (ser'be-rus). The three-headed dog of Pluto 
that guarded the entrance to Hades, and jDrevented the 
living from entering, and the dead from coming out. 
See TJie Twelfth Labor of Hercules. 

Cereyoii (ser'si-on). A powerful giant slain by Theseus 

at Eleusis. 
Ceremonies. See Themis. 

Ceres (se'rez) . Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and mother 
of Proserpine. She was the goddess of agriculture and 



CERYNEA — CHAOS 



55 



of civilization. When Pluto stole her beautiful and be- 
loved daughter, Ceres lighted her torch, and mounting 
her chariot drawn by winged snakes, passed through all 
lands in search of her. Wherever she was hospitably 
received she left her blessing in the form of instruction 
in the arts of agriculture. To Celeus she was specially 
grateful, and taught him the use of the plow, and gave 
to his son Triptolemus her snake-drawn chariot that he 
might travel through all lands and teach t lie inhabitants 
the arts she had taught him. Demeter, Magna Dea, 
Bona Dea, Alma Mammosa, Thesmophora, are other 
names applied to Ceres. See Ambarvalia, Thesmophora. 

Cerynea (ser-i-ne'a). The name of a hill and hunting 
district near the borders of Arcadia and Achaia. 

Ceryiieaii ^tag (ser-i-ne'an). The capture of this fleet 
animal constituted the fourth labor of Hercules. His 
horns were gold and his hoofs were brass. His speed 
was so great that Hercules was obliged to drive him into 
the deep snows of the northland before he could be 
caught. This stag was sacred to Diana, having been 
dedicated by one of the Pleiads. 

Ceryx (se'rix). See Cecrops. 

Cestus, Venus' magic love-inciting girdle. 

Ceto (se'to). Wife of Phorcys and mother of the three 
Gorgons and the three Graeae. See Deino, 

Ctialkefa (kal-ke^'ya). A festival held annually in 
October in honor of Vulcan and Athene. 

Chaos (ka'os). A personification of the confusion of 
matter as it existed before the creation. 



66 



CHARIOT — CHILDREN 



Chariot. See Apollo, Juturnus, Marpessa, Neptune^ 
Phaeton , Triptolemus. 

Charis (ka'ris). The wife of Vulcan, according to 
Homer. Later writers substitute Aphrodite for Charis. 

Charites (kar'i-tez). ^qq Graces. 

Cliaritesia (kar-i-te'zhi-a) . Annual festivals accom- 
panied with games, music, and dancing, held in honor 
of the Charites. 

Charon (ka'ron). The aged ferryman, Son of Nox and 
Erebus, who conveyed the spirits of the dead over the 
river Styx to the realms of Hades. The obolus, or pas- 
sage-money, was placed under the tongue of the dead. 
Those that failed to produce the toll were obliged to 
wander about for a hundred years, when Charon would 
ferry them over without charge. 

Charybdis (ka-rib'dis) . A dangerous whirlpool near the 
coast of Sicily. Scylla and Charybdis were two dread 
sea-monsters, between which vessels were obliged to pass. 
Three times each day Charybdis swallowed up the sur- 
rounding waters, and often engulfed the largest galleys. 
Scylla with her six huge hideous heads, occupied a cave 
under a rock, and sat ever watcliing for her prey. The 
expression " avoiding Scylla only to fall into Charybdis," 
is often employed to represent conflicting dangers. See 
Ulysses. 

Chemo§h (ke'mosh). The national rod of the Moabites 
and the Ammonites. 



Children* See Nundina, Orboiia, 



CHIMERA— CHRYSEIS 



57 



Chimeera (ki-me'ra). A huge monster that infested the 
mountains, vomited fire, and destroyed all who attacked 
it. See Bellerophon, 

Chiron (ki'ron). The famous physician who carefully 
instructed -^sculapius in the mysteries of the healing 
art, taught Hercules the use of all the different weapons, 
and trained him in all kinds of athletic sports, and in 
hunting and music. He had the form of a Centaur, but 
had nothing of their wild nature. He was wise, just, 
and kind, and beloved of gods and men. He dwelt in a 
cave on Mount Pelion. He was the teacher of Jason, 
and also of Achilles. In trying to make peace between 
Hercules and the Centaurs, he was accidentally struck 
by a poisoned arrow. Offering his life in the place of 
Prometheus, he was accepted by the gods, and was placed 
by Jupiter among the stars, where he shines as Sagitta- 
rius, the Archer. 

Chloris (klo'ris). Goddess of spring and of flowers. 
The Greek name for Flora. Boreas and Zephyrus were 
rival suitors for her hand. She chose the latter and be- 
came his faithful wife. 

Chou. An Egytian god. 

Cliroiio§ (kro'nos). Or Cronus. The Greek name for 
time. By some he was regarded as the counterpart of 
the Roman god Saturn. 

Cliryseis (kri-se'is). When the Greeks, after taking the 
town of Pedasus, came to divide the spoils, Agamemnon 
obtained as his captive, Chryseis, daugliter of Chryses, 
the priest of Apollo, in the island of Cliryse. 



58 



CILIX — CLOTHO 



Cilix (si'lix). Brother of Cadmus, and son of Agenor 
and Telephassa. 

Cillaros (sil'la-ros). See Cyllaros, 

Circe (ser'se). A golden-haired sorceress, the sister of 
^etes and aunt of Medea. She poisoned her husband 
and was banished to ^ea, where part of the crew of the 
fleet of Ulysses visited her, and were changed by her into 
swine on account of their gluttony. Ulysses compelled 
her to restore them to their human form again. He was 
hospitably entertained by her for a year, and was after- 
ward assisted by her in his later enterprises. 

Ciiseta (sis-se ta). One of Actseon's hounds. 

Citherides (sith-er'i-dez) . The Muses who dwelt on 
Mount Citheron. 

Cities. See Polias. 

Civilization. See Ceres. 

Cleitiis (kle'i-tus). A beautiful youth for whom Aurora 
secured immortal life. 

Cleta (kle'ta). An inferior deity. 

Clio (kli'o). The Muse who presided over history. See 
3Iuses. 

Cloacina (klo-a-si'na). The goddess who presided over 
the Cloacae or reservoirs of filth in Rome. 

Clotlio (klo'tho). The youngest of the three Fates, 
daughters of Jupiter and Themis. She presided over 
child-birth and held the distaff from which was spun 
the web of life. 



CLOWNS— CNEPH 



69 



Clowns. The clowns of Lycia were transformed into 
frqgs by Latona, because they forbade her to drink at 
one of their streamlets. See Momus. 

Cluacina (klu-a-si'na). A name applied to Venus. 

Clymene (clim'e-ne). See Phaeton. 

Clytemnestra (klit-em-nes'tra). Wife of Agamemnon, 
slew her husband and married ^gisthus, who fearing 
her son Orestes might avenge his father's death, con- 
spired with her to slay her son. Electra, the boy's sister, 
helped him to escape and placed him under the protec- 
tion of his uncle Strophius, king of Phocis. His cousin 
Pylades became his inseparable friend, and their devo- 
tion to each other has become a proverb. Orestes 
afterward returned and slew both Clytemnestra and 
^gisthus, and then fled pursued by the Furies led by 
Nemesis, goddess of revenge. The oracle at Delphi 
informed him that his crime could only be forgiven by 
his bringing the statue of Diana in Tauris back to Greece. 
Accompanied by Pylades he set out to find the statue. 
Searching in the temple of Diana he found his long-lost 
sister Iphigenia who conducted him to the object of his 
search, and accompanied him home to Greece, where he 
was permitted to dwell in peace. See Agamemnon and 
Iphigenia. 

Clytie (klit'i-e). A nymph who at her own request was 
changed into a sunflower because Apollo did not requite 
her love. To this day she turns her face continually tO' 
ward the sun, hence, toward the sun-god, Apollo. 

Cneph (nef). The Egyptian creator of the universe. 



COCYTUS — CONCORDIA 



Cocytii§ (co-cftus). The river of Lamentation, one of 
the five rivers of Hades. It was formed of the tears of 
the condemned. 

Coeculus (se'cu-lus). A terrible robber, son of Vulcan. 

Cflelus (se'lus). The most ancient of the gods, father 
of Saturn, Oceanus, and Hyperion. Also called Uranus, 
or Heaven. 

CcBna Saliaris (se'na sa-li-a'ris). See Aiicilia. 

€oletii§ (kol'kis). The land of the Golden Fleece to 
which the famous expedition of the Argonauts was di- 
rected. 

Collina (koMi'na). Goddess of the hills. 

Colonus (ko-lo'nus). A place near Athens at which a 
a temple to the Furies w^as dedicated. 

Comedy. See Thalia, 
Commerce. See Mercury. 

Compitalia (com-pi-ta'li-a). A festival in honor of the 
Lares and Penates, spiritual beings worshiped by the 
Romans, and celebrated annually at cross-roads. It 
usually occurred a few days after the Saturnalia. 

Comus (ko'mus). God of revelry, feasting, and noctur- 
nal amusements, sometimes pictured with torcli re- 
versed, leaning in drunken sleep against a wall or statue. 

Conceit. See Aracline. 

Concord. Two right hands joined and a pomegranate 

served as the symbol of Concord. 
Concordia (con-cor'di-a). The Roman goddess of 

peace to whom Camillus erected a temple in the Capitol. 



CONSTANCY — CORYDON 



61 



Constancy. See Cephalus, Pylades, Halcyone, Hero, 
ConsteSlation. See Stars. 

Con§ualia (con-su-a'li-a) . Games in honor of Neptune. 
Consii§. A name of Neptune as the god of counsel. 
Convalescence. See Telespliorus. 

Cophetua (ko-f et'u-a) . A legendary king of Africa who 
disliked women, but who ultimately fell in love with a 
beggar maid. 

Copia. The goddess of plenty. 

Coran (co'ran). One of Actseon's hounds. 

Corinth (cor'inth). Its prominent location makes it 
conspicuous in mythical lore. Tlie legends of Sisyphus, 
Glaucus, Bellerophon, and others are located here. 

Corn. See Ceres, Hostilina, Lactiira, Matiira, Pilumniis, 

Coronides (kor-o-m'dez). A title applied to ^scula- 
pius, the son of Apollo and Coronis. 

Coronis (ko-ro'nis). A maiden loved by Apollo. Mother 
of ^sculapius. Another Ccu'onis was daughter of a 
king of Phocis, and was changed by Athena into a crow. 

Corybantes (ko-ri-ban'tez). Tlie first priests of Cybele. 
It is said that they sprang from tlie mountain-side like 
trees, and that they were the first beings in mere human 
form that appeared on earth. In their wild dances they 
would strike themselves, and beat their cymbals, and 
engage in other frenzied acts. Same as Curetes. 

Corydon (korl-don). A love-sick swain mentioned by 
Virgil. 



62 



CORYTHAIX — CREUS 



Corythaix (kori-tha-ix). Shaker of the Helmet, a name 
applied to Mars. 

Cos (kos). On their return from Troy, Hercules and his 
companions sought shelter from a storm at Cos, and de- 
stroyed the town because its inhabitants refused to 
receive them. 

Cottus. One of the Centimani, beings each with a hun- 
dred hands. 

Cotytto (ko-tit'to). The Athenian goddess of lewdness. 

Counsel. See Consus. 

Cows, See Melainpus, Trinacria. 

Creditors. See Jani. 

Creon (kre'on) . King of Corinth. Father of the beauti- 
ful Creusa whom Jason married, which marriage aroused 
the jealousy of Medea, and brought disaster to Jason 
and Creon. Another Creon was king of Thebes, and 
father of Jocasta and Megara. His lands were ravaged 
by the terrible Sphinx, which was slain by his grandson 
CEdipus. 

Cretan Bull. This bull was presented by Neptune to 
Minos, and placed by him among the herd of cattle 
sacred to the sun. Upon Hercules w^as imposed the^ 
task of bringing this bull to Mj'cenae. It afterward 
escaped, roved wildly over the Peloponessus, and was 
finally captured at Marathon by Theseus. 

Creus (kre'us) or Crius. One of the twelve Titans, son 
of Uranus and Gaea. 



CREUSA — CUM^AN SIBYL 



68 



Creusa (kre-u'sa). Daughter of Priam, king of Troy. 
Wife of ^neas. Killed in attempting to flee from Troy. 
Another Creusa was the daughter of Erechtheus, wife of 
Apollo and mother of Ion. A third Creusa was the 
daugliter of Creon. She was sometimes called Glauce. 
See Creon. 

Cronia (kro'ni-a). A Grecian festival to Cronus, similar 
to the Saturnalia of Rome. 

Cronion (cro'ni-on) . A title applied to Jupiter to indi- 
cate his unending career. 

Cronus (kro'nus). The god of harvests, the ripener— 
a Titan, the son of Uranus. He deposed his father and 
married his sister Rhea, who bore him Pluto, Neptune^ 
Jupiter, Vesta, Ceres, and Juno. It had been prophesied 
that he, in turn, should be deposed by one of his 
sons. To prevent this he swallowed his first five children 
as they came into the world. When Jupiter, the sixth 
child appeared, he was taken to Crete, and concealed in 
a cave on Mount Ida, being fed by the faithful goat 
Amalthea. 

Cross-roads. See Compitalia, 
Crow. See Coronis, 
Cruelty. See Itys. 
Cultivated Land. See Sylvester, 

Cumaean Sibyl (ku-me'an). A name applied to 
Deiphobe, a daughter of Glaucus who lived in a grotto 
near the town of Cumae, in Italy, and who was endowed 
with the gift of prophecy. 



64 



CUP-BEARER — CYGNUS 



Cup-bearer. See Gannymede. 

Cupid. God of love. Son of Jupiter and Venus, and 
husband of Psyche. Also called Eros and Amor. See 
Psyche. 

Curetes (ku-re'tez). Servants of Rhea, mother of 
Jupiter. To drown the infant Jupiter's cries, so that his 
father, Cronus, should still be deceived in supposing his 
child to be dead, the Curetes kept up a continual din by 
screaming, clashing their weapons, and chanting rude 
war-songs. These servants or priests were also called 
Cory bant es. 

Curiosity. See Epimetheits, Pandora, 

Cybele (sib'e-le). Mother of the gods, and often called 
Magna Mater. Ceres, Rhea, Ops, Dindymene, and 
Vesta are other names applied to her. She is repre- 
sented as wearing a castellated crown to denote that she 
was the first to protect castles and walls with towers. 

Cyclopes (si-clo'pez). These were three gigantic, one- 
eyed workmen of Vulcan, sons of Uranus and Gaea, who 
made Jove's thunderbolts. They were, Arges with his 
stream of light, Brontes with liis thunder, and Steropes 
with his lightning. Orion, blind and helpless, once 
wandered to their cave, when one of tlie Cyclopes took 
pity on him, and led him to the sun, and thus restored 
his sight. Thesa Cyclopes (or Cyclops) had only one 
eye, and this was in the center of the foreliead. 

Cycuus (sik^nus). See Cygnus. 

Cyg^nus (sig'nus). When Phaeton was cast from the 
chariot of the sun, his devoted friend Cygnus carefully 



OYLLAEOS— CYPEIA 



65 



gathered up the scattered remains and gave them proper 
burial. The scene of Phaeton's death was on the bank 
of the river, and Cygnus in his excess of grief constantly 
haunted the place and often plunged into the water in 
the hope of finding other parts of the body. The gods, 
taking pity on him, turned him into a swan. This 
mourjiful bird still plunges its head under the water in 
continuance of the sad search for the remains of Phaeton. 
See Phaeton. 

Cyllaros (sil'la-ros). A coal-black steed with white legs 
and tail belonging to Castor. 

Cyllenius (sil-le'ni-us). A mountain in Arcadia, in a 
cave of which Mercury was born. Same as Cyllene. 

Cyllo (sirio). One of Actaeon's hounds, said to have been 
lame. Cyllopotes, another hound, also limped. 

Cyllopotes (sil-lop'o-tez). See Cyllo. 

Cyiiosura (sin-o-su'ra) or Cynosure. One of Jupiter's 
nurses, turned into the constellation containing the pole 
star. 

Cyiitliius(sin'thi-us). See Apollo. 

Cyparissfi§ (sip-a-ris'sus) . A young hunter who, having 
accidentally killed Apollo's pet stag, gi'ieved to death. 
He was changed by Apollo into a cypress tree, which 
was henceforth to shade the graves ojf those who in life 
were greatly beloved. 

Cypress. See Cyparissus. 

Cypria (sip'ri-a) . A name of Venus, from the island of 
Cyprus, where she was worshiped. 

s 



66 



CYRENE — DANAE 



Cjrreiie (si-re'ne). A Greek colony on the north coast 
of Africa. 

Cytliera (si-the'ra) or Cytherea. A name of Venus, 
from the island to which she sailed in a shell. 

JDactyli (dac'ti-li). Priests of Cybele, so named because, 
like the fingers of the hands, they were ten in number. 

I>aedalu$ (ded'a-lus). A noted sculptor and architect. 
He invented the wedge, ax, level, gimlet, and was the 
first to employ sails in propelling a boat. He constructed 
the famous labyrinth for Minos, King of Crete, and for 
offending the king, he and Icarus, his son, were im- 
prisoned therein. He escaped by inventing wings with 
which he flew to Sicily, but Icarus lost his life in the 
attempt. See Teams. 

I^agoii (da'gon). The national god of the Philistines, 
represented as half -man, half-fish. In Babylonian my- 
thology, a fishlike being who rose from the waters of 
the Red Sea, and became one of tiie great benefactors of 
men. 

I>aliak (da-hak'). The Persian spirit of evil. 

Damastes (da-mas'tez). Usually called Procrustes. 
His manner of slaying his victims was to place them on 
a bed which was either too long or too short. If too 
long, the victim was stretched to the required length ; 
if too short, his limbs were cut off to fit. He was him- 
self slain by Theseus. 

Daiiae (da'na-e). Daughter of Acrisius and Eurydice. 
Acrisius, having no heir to his throne, was told by the 



DANAIDES — DAPHNE 



67 



oracle that his daughter would bear a son who would 
slay his grandfather and rule in his stead. Acrisius at- 
tempted to prevent the fulfilment of the latter part of 
this prophecy, but Perseus, son of Danae, in a game of 
disk, accidentally struck his grandfather upon tlie foot 
and caused his death. 

DHnaicle§ -(da-na'i-dez). A name applied to the fifty 
daughters of Danaus. See Danaus. 

I>anaii§ (dan'a-us). King of Argos, who pledged his fifty 
beautiful daughters in marriage to his brother ^gyptus' 
fifty sons. When the preparations for the wedding had 
been completed, Danaus suddenly remembered that it 
had been prophesied that he should be slain by his son- 
in-law. He therefore called his daughters together, 
made known to them the prophecy, and giving each a 
keen dagger, bade them slay their husbands while asleep. 
Hypermnestra loved her husband too well to comply 
with her father's command, and Lynceus, to avenge tlie 
death of his brothers, slew Danaus, and thus fulfilled 
the prophecy. 

I>ancing. See Terpsichore. 

Dang-eri^. See Charybdis, Scylla. 

Daphne (daf'ne). The goddess of the earth, daughter 
of Peneus, the river god. Fleeing in great fear from 
Apollo, she called aloud to her father for protection. 
When her trembing limbs brought her to the bank of the 
river she found her feet rooted to tho ground, and a 
rougii bark rapidly inclosed lier body. Her arms became 
the limbs of a tree, and her trembling fingers changed 
into quivering leaves. Her father had granted her prayer 



68 



DAPHNEPHORIA — DEIANIRA 



by turning her into a laurel tree. This tree was Apollo's 
favorite ever after, and its leaves were wreathed to 
crown the brows of poets and musicians. 

I>aplineplioria (daf-ne-fo'ri-a). A festival held at 
Thebes every eight years in honor of Apollo Ismenius. 

Dardanus (dar'da-nus). Son of Jupiter. He built the 
city of Dardanla. Supposed by some to be the founder 
of Troy. He killed his brother Jasius to obtain the 
kingdom of Etruria. 

I>ays or tlie week. The names of the days of the week 
are all of Northern origin. Sunday is from the Anglo- 
Saxon Sunnan daeg, Sun day. Monday is from Monan 
daeg, or moon day. Tuesday is from Tyr, the Norse god 
of war and athletic sports, hence, Tyr's day. Wednes- 
day is from Odin, or Woden, the Jupiter of the Scandi- 
navian mythology, hence Woden's day. Thursday is 
from Thor, Odin's eldest son, the god of thunder, hence 
Thor's day. Friday is from Frigu, or Frey, the Nors^ 
god who presided over rain, sunshine, and the fruits or 
the earth, hence Frey's day. Saturday is from Saeter 
daeg, which, in turn, is from the Roman Saturnus, hence 
Saturn's day. 

I>ead-toll. See Charon. 

I>eatli. See Nox, Mors, Thanatos. 

Deception. See Apaturia, Dido, (Enopion. 

Heianira (de-i-a-ni'ra). Also spelled Deianeira, De- 
janira. Daughter of (Eneus, King of Calydon, who of- 
ferred her in marriage to the man who should overcome 
the river god Achelous in wrestling. Hercules won the 
prize. 



DETMOS — DELPHINIA 



69 



I>eiiilo§ (di'mos). The personification of Dread. 
Heiiio (dfno). The three daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, 

were Deino, •'alarm," Pephredo, *' dread," and Enyo, 

" horror." 

Deioneus (de-i-o'ne-us). Father of Dia, wife of Ixion. 
He perished in a great hole filled with fire kindled by 
Ixion. 

I>eiphobe (de-if'o-be). Daughter of Glaucus, to whom, 
with Cassandra, was granted the gift of prophecy. 

I>eilies. See Introduction. 

Delia (de'li-a). A festival held at Delos in May, in 
honor of the birth of Apollo and his twin sister Ar- 
temis. 

I>elo§ (de'los). An island in the ^gean Sea upon which 
Apollo was born. It is said that prior to his birth the 
island floated about, but afterward it became fixed, and 
was filled with a golden light, while sacred swans 
encircled it seven times. 

Delius (de'li-us). Same as Apollo. So named from the 
island of his birth. 

I>elphl (del'fi). A town on Mount Parnassus, cele- 
brated for its oracle, and for a temple of Apollo. 

Delphicus (del'fi-cus). A name of Apollo, from Delphi. 

Delptiinia (del-fin'i-a). An annual festival held in May 
to commemorate the tribute of seven boys and seven 
girls whom Athens was obliged to send every year to 
Crete to be offered as sacrifices to the Minotaur. 



DELPHINION — DEUCALION 



Delpl&iiiioii (del-fin'i-on). A temple in Athens where 
Apollo was worshiped. Here a place of refuge was 
4, found, and a court for the trial of capital crimes was 
held. 

Delpliiiiiu§ ( del-fin 'i-us). Apollo was worshiped under 
this name in the Delphinion. 

]>elplio§ (del'fos). The place where the temple was 
built from which the oracle of Apollo was given. 

Demariis. The Phoenician name of Jupiter. 

nemeter (de-me ter). The Greek name for Ceres. See 
Ceres. 

I>eiiiig;ocl$. The demigods, or heroes, were peculiar to 
the mythology of the Greeks. They were regarded 
partly of divine origin, and possessed the courage, 
strength, and form of the gods. 

I>eiiiio§ (de'mi-os). Attendant of Mars. The name sig- 
nifies dread. 

Demog'orgoii (de-mo-gor'gon). A mysterious deity 
supposed to live underground, and represented as an old 
man covered with moss. Sometimes called the king of 
the elves and fays. 

]>eii. See Cave. 

Oeiicalion (du-ca'li-on). One of the demigods, son of 
Prometheus and father of Helen. He and his wife 
Pyrrha built a ship and survived the flood which Jupiter 
sent upon the earth. The}^ landed on Mount Parnassus, 
and at once began to pick up stones and cast tliem 
about, as they had been told to do by Jupiter. The 



DIA — DIDO 



71 



stones cast by Deucalion became men and those cast by^ 
Pyrrha became women, and thus they founded-^ new 
face. 

I>ia (di'a). A maiden loved and deserted by Ixion. Also 

a name applied to Hebe. 
Diamonds. See Gnomides. 

I>iana (di-an'a). One of the twelve Olympian deities, 
daughter of Jupiter and Latona, and twin sister of 
Apollo. She was the goddess of hunting and of chastity. 
As a celestial deity she was called Luna, goddess of the 
Moon ; as a terrestrial deity Diana or Dictynna ; and in 
the lower regions Hecate. She is associated with many 
of the most beautiful and touching incidents of mythol- 
ogy, and poets and artists have vied with each other in 
showing her honor. 

Oiana of the £ptiesiaii!$. A goddess whom the early 
Greek colonists on the coast of Asia Minor found estab- 
lished in the worship of the people. When Paul went 
to Ephesus he strongly denounced the worship of Diana. 
The temple of Diana at Ephesus was reckoned among 
the seven wonders of the world on account of its size, \\ 
wealth, splendor, and the grandeur of 'its architecture. -4 



This temple was set on fire and almost completely 
destroyed by Herostratus on the night on which Alex- 
ander the Great was born, in order that his name might 
be preserved in history. 

Hictyiiiia (dic-tin'na). The Greek name of Diana as a 
terrestrial goddess. 

I>iclo (di'do). Daughter of Belus and queen of Tyre 
and Carthage. Her husband Sychseus, who possessed 




72 



DIDYMJEUS — DIOMEDES. 



untold wealth, had been murdered by Pygmalion, his 
brother-in-law, and Dido had been warned by her hus- 
band's ghost ; she gathered her treasures, and, accom- 
panied by a few friends, she escaped to Libj^a, and 
entreated the inhabitants to sell her as much land as an 
ox-hide could enclose. When the price had been agreed 
upon, she cut the hide into very narrow strips, and thus 
secured a large tract, and here built her beautiful 
capital. When ^neas was shipwrecked on her coast 
Dido showed him great kindness, and at last fell in love 
with him, but he did not reciprocate her affection. This 
so grieved her that she slew herself with a dagger. 

Didyuifeus (did-i-me us). One of the many names of 
Apollo. 

I>ie§ Pater (di'ez pa ter), or Di-es'piter. The name of 
Jupiter as Father of the Day. 

I>ii Selecti (di-i se-lec'ti). Sol, Luna, Coelus, Terra, 
Saturn, Genius, Oreus, and Bacchus comprised the 
second class of gods, and were called Dii Selecti. 

Dike (di'ke). Goddess of justice and good faith, mod- 
esty and truth. Called also Astreea. 

I>iiidymeiie (din-di-me'ne) . A name of Cybele or Rhea, 
from a mountain where she was worshiped. 

Diomedes (di-o-me'dez). A cruel tyrant of Thrace who 
fed his horses on the flesh of persons who had been ship- 
wrecked on his inhospitable coast. In a fight which 
grew out of Hercules' attempt to bring these horses to 
Mycenae, Diomedes was slain and his body fed to his own 
horses. 



DION E— DISCORDIA.. 



73 



Dione (di-o'ne). According to the olden belief Venus 
was the daughter of Zeus and Dione ; but Hesiod says 
she was the offspring of Uranus. By some, Dione is re- 
garded as a poetic name of Venus. 

Dioiiy.^ia (di-o-nish'i-a). Festivals in honor of Bacchus, 
held chiefly in Athens, and lasting from the ninth to the 
fifteenth of March. 

I>ioiiysiUi!i (di-o-nizh-i-us). One of the many names of 
Bacchus, perhaps from his father Jupiter (Dios) and his 
nurses, the Nysse. 

JDioscuri (di-os-cu'-rl). A name applied to Castor and 
Pollux, sons of Jupiter, and brothers of Helena and 
Clytemnestra. Helena and Pollux were immortal ; Cas- 
tor and Clytemnestra were mortal. See Pollux. 

]>io§eiiria (di-os-cu'ri-a). Festivals in honor of Castor 
and Pollux, especially popular in Sparta where the twin 
brothers were born. 

Dirae (dfre). Sqq Furies, 

Dirce (der'se). Wife of Lycus. For having shamefully 
treated Antiope, mother of Amphion and Zethus, these 
twin brothers tied Dirce to the tail (some say the horns) 
of a bull, and looked on unmoved while she was dragged 
to death over the stones. 

Dis„ A name of Pluto, signifying riches. 

Discord. See^fe. 

Di§Corclia (dis-cor'di-a). The goddess of discord and 
strife, sister of Nemesis and the constant attendant of 
Mars. Being offended because she was not invited to the 



74 



DISEASES — DORIDES. 



Marriage of Thetis with Peleus, king of Athens, she 
unexpectedly appeared in the banquet hall, threw a 
golden apple upon the table, breathed her poisonous 
breath upon the merry-making assembly and suddenly 
vanished. On the golden fruit was inscribed "To the 
fairest." Instantly Juno, Minerva, and Venus quarreled 
for the prize, and the pleasure of the feast was at an end. 
Discordia was driven from heaven for causing dissension 
among the gods. See Paris, 

Diseases. See Pandora. 
DistafT. See Palladium, Clotho. 
Oitliyrambus (dith-i-ram'bus). See Bacchus, 
f>ivorce. See Ino. 

I>ocloiia (do-do'na). A famous oracle of Jupiter. 

]>odonaBUS (do-do-ne'us). A name of Jupiter, from the 
city of Dodona. 

l>og". See Actceon, Hounds, Lares, Echidna, Orthos, Sirius, 

I>olal>ra (do-la'bra). The sacrificial knife used by the 
priests. 

I>olpliiii. See Arion, Neptune, Nereides, Tritons. 
Oomestie Life. See Vesta, 

Ooorg^a (door'ga). The Hindoo goddess of contention 
and strife. 

Dorians (do'ri-anz). One of tlie four great branches of 
of tlie Hellenic race. See AcTicvaiis. 

Dor ides (do-ridez). Called also Nereides. See NympJi^, 



BORIS— EARS 75 

Oorls (do'ris). Wife of Nereus, an ancient sea-god, and 
son of Pontus and Gaea. 

l>oto (do'to). One of the Nereids, or sea-nymplis. 

Draco (dra^co). One of Actaeon's hounds. 

I>ragoii. See Cadmus, Echidnay Eurythion, Geryon, 
Golden Fleece, Ladon, Nidhogg, Triptolemus. 

I>read. See Deimos, Deino, Demios, Fear, Pephredo. 

I>reaiii§. See Halcyone, Morpheus, Oneiropompiis, Pho- 
betor, Somnus. 

I>ryacls. Rural deities. They often appeared as hunt- 
resses or sheplierdesses. See Nymphs. 

Duels. See Viler. 

Dumbness. See Atys. 

Dwarfs. In the Norse and Old German mythologies 
these dwell in the heart of the mountains, and to them 
belong the metals and precious stones. See Pygmies. 

Dweurgar (dwer'-gar). The Scandinavian god of the 
Echo, called also Dwergmaal-zwerg-sprache, or dwarf - 
voice. A pigmy. 

Dyaus (di-ouse). The Hindoo god of the Bright Sky. 

Dynamene (di-nam'e-ne) . One of the nymphs who con- 
trolled the swell and impulse of the waves. 

Eacus (e'a-cus). Son of Jupiter and Egina. See ^aeus. 
Eagle. See Asteria, Jupiter. 
Ears. See Midas. 



76 



EARTH — EGIL 



£]arth. See Antceas. 

£l>ii§ (eb'lis). The evil genius of the Mohammedans. 

£e]iidiia (e-kid'na). The mother of monsters. Her off- 
spring include, the three-hundred-headed dragon of the 
Hesperides, the Colchian dragon, the many -headed dog 
Orthos, the Sphinx, Cerberus, Scylla, the Chimera, the 
Gorgons, the Lernsean Hydra, the vulture that gnawed 
the liver of Prometheus, and the Nemean lion. She vras 
pictured as a woman with a serpent's tail. 

£eliioii (e-ki'on). Father of Pentheus who ascended the 
throne of Thebes after the death of Polydorus. 

£c1inobu§ (ek-no'bus). One of Actseon's hounds. 

£elio. A mountain nymph, servant of Juno, who fell in 
love with Narcissus, and, because he failed to return her 
love, she pined away until her voice was all that was 
left of her. She then dwelt in the woods and occupied 
herself in mimicking every sound she heard. W]ien 
Theseus deserted the beautiful Ariadne on the shore of 
Naxos, taunting Echo came to mock her cries. Another 
fable makes Echo the daughter of Air and Tellus. Juno 
forbade her speaking more than to answer questions. See 
Dweurgar, 

Eg^eon (e-je'on). A giant sea-god who helped the Titans 
in their war with Jupiter. 

£g^eria (e-je'ri-a) . A nymph, the wife of Numa, to whom 
she suggested many wise laws. At his death she became 
disconsolate, and wept so many tears that Diana changed 
her into a fountain. 

Egil (e' jil). The Vulcan of northern mythology. 



EGIPANS — ELEUSINIA 



77 



dgipaiis (ej'i-panz). Rural deities, half man, half goat, 
that inhabited the forests and mountains. 

Egis (e'jis). The shield of Jupiter and Minerva. This 
goddess often assisted Jupiter in his wars, gave him wise 
counsel, and sometimes borrowed his shield and herself 
sallied forth to battle. When Perseus went forth to slay 
the Medusa, Pluto gave him a magic helmet, Mercury 
attached his winged sandals to the youth's heels, and 
Minerva lent him her shield. In return, Perseus pre- 
sented her with the Medusa's head, which she set in the 
center of the shield , and which still retained all its ter- 
rifying power. See ^gis. 

£tleitliyia (i-lith-i'ya) . A name of Diana as guardian of 
children in infancy and in sickness. 

Eirene (i-re'ne). One of the Horae, goddess of peace. 
Same as Irene. 

Electra (e-lec'tra). Mother of Iris, goddess of the rain- 
bow. See Pleiades. 

Electryoii (e-lec'tri-on). He and Alcaeus were sons of 
Perseus and Andromeda. 

Eleusinia (el-u-sin'i-a) . Two festivals, called Eleusinia 
were held annually, one in the spring when the earliest 
flowers appeared, the other, which was more important, 
began on the 20th of September and continued nine 
days. The Eleusinian Mysteries, according to some 
authorities, were celebrated by the Cretans and the 
Lacedemonians every fourtli year, and by the people of 
Athens every fifth year. These were religious rites in 
honor of Ceres and Proserpine. 



78 



ELEUTHO— ENIPEUS 



£leutho (e-lu'tho). Same as Eileitliyia. 

JElis (e lis). Province of the Peloponnesus. The legends 
of Elis and Argas are noted for the deeds of violence 
committed by their famous heroes. 

Elopement. See Helena, Blarpessa, Agamemnon. 

£loqiienee. See Iduna, Mercury, 

Elves, See Fairies. 

Elysium (e-lizh'i-um). The Elysian Fields, the tempo- 
rary abode of the just in Hades. 

Emattiioii (e-ma'thi-on) . Son of Eos and Tithonus, and 
brother of Memnon. 

Empyrean (em-pi-re'an). The fifth heaven; the abode 
of the heathen deity. 

Enagonius (e-na-go'ni-us). One of the names of 
Mercury. 

Eiieelaclu§ (en-sel'a-dus). A giant defeated by Jupiter 
and buried under Mount Etna. 

Endymion (en-dim'i-on). A beautiful young shepherd 
whom Diana beheld asleep upon the mountain side. 
Charmed by his beauty she left her silvery lunar car to 
impress an airy kiss upon his lips. This was repeated 
nightly until Diana, fearing that age and toil would soon 
destroy his charms, carried him to 'her cave in Mount 
Latinus and bestowed upon him the gift of eternal 
youth. 

Enipens (e-nip'e-us). A river which, when greatly 
swollen, w^as crossed by Jason, by the aid of Juno, with 
the loss of only one sandal. 



ENTERTAINMENT — EPIMENIDES 



79 



Enterlainmeiit. See Comus. 
Envy, See Furies. 

Enyo (e-ni'o). The Grecian name of Bellona, the god- 
dess of war and cruelty. Also one of the Graeae. 

Eolu§ (e'o-lus) . See Mollis. 

Eos (e'os). The Grecian name of Aurora. 

Eou§ (e-o'us) . One of the four horses which drew the sun 
chariot. 

Epaphus (ep'a-fus). Son of Jupiter and lo. 

Epeu§ (e-pe'us). The Greek sculptor who constructed 
the famous wooden horse used in the siege of Troy. 

Epiiialtes (ef-i-al'tez). A giant son of Neptune, who, witli 
his brother Otus, overcame Mars and kept him chained a 
prisoner for fifteen months, until released by the skill of 
the artful Mercury. Ephialtes lost one eye in a fight 
with Hercules, and the other was destroyed by Apollo. 

Epicurus (ep-i-cu'rus). A famous Grecian philosopher. 

Epidaurus (ep-i-dau'rus). A celebrated temple erected 
in honor of ^sculapius. 

Epigone (e-pig'o-ne). Wife of ^sculapius. 

Epimelius (ep-i-me'li-us). A name among herdsmen 
given to Mercury. 

Epimenides (ep-i-men'i-dez). A friend of Apollo. He 
fell asleep in a grotto, and when lie awakened fifty-six 
years later, he found himself endowed with the gift of 
prophecy. 



80 



EPIMETHEUS— ERECTHEUS 



£pmietlieiis (ep-i-me'the-us). Son of Japetus. The 
name means Afterthought." When Mercury presented 
Pandora, Epimetheus kindly received her into his house 
and made her his wife, although warned by his brother 
Prometheus to accept no favor from the gods. After 
several years of unalloyed happiness, Mercur^^ again ap- 
peared, bearing a curious box wliich he begged to leave 
with them, promising to call for it shortly. Prompted 
by curiosity, Pandora raised the lid and instantly there 
swarmed around her a multitude of venomous insects 
representing the diseases, sorrows, troubles, and vexa- 
tions which were henceforth to afflict the world, and 
which Jupiter had carefully packed into the box. Epi- 
metheus reproached his wife in bitter terms, but just 
then he heard another voice call from the box which 
Pandora, in her haste to close the lid, had shut in. This 
was the voice of Hope, who came to undo much of the 
misery produced by the others, and to point to a happier 
future. 

I]popeu§ (e-po'pe-us) . King of Sicyon, who afforded 
protection to Antiope when she was driven from her 
father's house. 

Erato (er'a-to). The Muse of songs of love and marriage, 
and patroness of light poetry, especially that of a Jyric 
and amatory character. She listened to the complaints 
of lovers and helped them in their troubles. 

Erebus (er'e-bus). God of darkness, who married his 
mother Night. 

Erectheus (e-rek'the-us) . Son of Pandion and grand- 
son of Erichthonius, with whom the dynasty of Cecrops 
ended. 



ERGANE — EEYSICHTHON 



81 



E^rg'ane (er-ga'ne) , or Ergatis. Mistress of industry. A 
name given to Minerva for having invented spinning 
and weaving. 

£rib€ea (er-i-be'a). Mother of Ajax. 

Eriettioniiis (e-rik-tho'ni-us). Fourth king of Athens ; 
son of Vulcan and Gaea. He is represented as having the 
form of a snake. 

JCridanus (e-rid'a-nus) . The river into which Jupiter 
cast Phaeton. See Phaeton. 

Erinys (e-rin'is) , or erinnys. A Greek name for the Furies. 
Same as Erinnyes and Eumenides. See Furies. 

£ri§ (e'ris). The personification of fatal strife, the con- 
stant attendant of Mars. 

Eros (e'ros). The Greek god of love. See Cupid. 

Erostratus (e-ros'tra-tus), or Herostratus. The mis- 
creant who fired the Temple of Diana at Ephesus. See 
Diana. 

Erotidia (er-o-tid'i-a) . A festival in honor of Eros. 

Erycina' (er-i-si'na). A name of Venus, from Mount 
Eryx in Sicily. 

Erymafithus (er-i-man'thus). A mountain north of 
Arcadia, the haunt of the Erymanthian Boar. Also the 
name of a stream which flowed down the mountain side. 
See Hercules. 

Erysichthon (er-i-sik'thon) . A wretch who defiled the 
groves of Ceres and cut down one of her sacred oaks. 
She sentenced him to the tortures of unappeased hunger. 
6 



82 ERYTHEIS— EUNICE 

Having spent all his means to procure food he sold his 
daughter as a slave, and when her purchase money was 
consumed he devoured himself. 

Erytheis (er-i-the'is). One of the first three Hesperides. 

Erylliros (e-rith'ros). The Grecian name of one of the 
horses of Sol's chariot. 

Elseulapius (es-cu-la'pi-us). See u^sculapius. 

Eteocles (e-te'o-clez). He and Polynices were the two 
sons of CEdipus and Jocaste. Both fell fatally wounded 
in a personal combat, the result of a dispute concerning 
the succession to their fatlier's kingdom. 

Eteoclus (e-te'o-clus) . One of the Seven against Thebes. 

Etiioii (e'thon) . One of the horses that drew the chariot 
of Sol, the sun. 

Etna, or ^tna. The volcanic flames from this moun- 
tain are, according to Virgil, the breatliing of the giant 
Typhon who is buried underneath. 

Euclid (u'clid). He and Archimedes were two of the 
greatest mathematicians of ancient Greece. 

Eudroiiio§ (u'dro-mos). One of Acta3on's hounds. 

Eulalon (u'la-lon). A name of Apollo. 

Eumenides (u-men'i-dez) See Furies. 

Eumolpus (u-mol'pus). The duties of high priest were 
vested in the family of Eumolpidae whose ancestor 
Eumolpus had been installed in the office b}^ Ceres. 

Euiieus (u-ne'us). A son of Jason and Hypsip^de. 

Eunice (u-ni'ce). One of the Nereids, a personification 
of the swell of the sea. 



EUNOMIA — EURYSTHEUS 83 

Eunomia (u-no'mi-a). One of the Horse who presided 
over legislative halls. 

Euphrosyne (u-fros'i-ne). See Graces, 

Euripide!^ (u-rip'i-dez). A celebrated poet of Greece. 

Europa (u-ro'pa). Sister to Cadmus, Phoenix, and 
Cilix. She was abducted by Jupiter in the form of a 
white bull, and carried to Europe, w^hich was named in 
her honor. 

IBurus (u'rus). The east wind, son of ^olus. He 
brought warmth and rain, and is represented holding 
an inverted vase as if pouring water from it. 

Euryale (u-rl'a-le). One of the three terrible Gorgons, 
daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. 

Eurybia (u-rib'i-a). One of the twelve Titans. 

Eurydice (u-rid'i-se) . A lovely nymph of the vales, and 
wife of Orpheus, who was killed by a serpent on her 
wedding night. 

Eurynome (u-rin'o-me). One of the two Oceanids who 
took charge of Vulcan when at his birth he was cast 
from Olympus into the sea, where for nine years he dwelt 
among the sea-gods and nymphs. 

Eurypylus (u-rip'i-lus). Son of Telephus, who joined 
the Trojan ranks and distinguished himself in combat 
with Neoptolemus, son of Achilles. 

Eurystheus (u-ris'the-us). It was he that set Hercules 
his twelve great tasks. 



84 



EURYTHION — FAMA 



£urytliioii (u-rith'i-on). A dragon with seven heads. 
See Geryon, 

durytion (u-rish'i-on). A bold centaur who, excited by 
wine at the wedding banquet of Peirithous, laid violent 
hold of his bride Deidamia. 

Euterpe (u-ter'pe.) " Giver of Pleasure." The Muse that 
presided over instrumental music. 

Euvyhe (ti-vi'-he). An expression meaning " Well done, 
son," so often applied to Bacchus by Jupiter, that it came 
to be regarded as one of Bacchus's names. 

Evander (e-van'der). King of the Tuscans, an ally of 
^neas and father of Pallas. 

Evening Star. See Hesperus. 

Evenus (e-ve'nus). Father of Marpessa. Applied also 
to the river in which Evenus drowned himself because 
he could not overtake the fleeing lovers. Ides and Mar- 
pessa, who were sailing swiftly along in the boat Nep- 
tune had lent them. 

Evil. See Cacodcemon, Fehris, Pandora. 

Eye. See Cyclops, Ephialtes, Glaukopis, Greece. 

Fairies. Fays, elves, sprites, and fairies were generally 
regarded as diminutive creatures, of a playful and mis- 
chief-loving nature, but generally kindly disposed. See 
Lihissa. 

Faithfulness. See Tuccia. 

Fama (fa'ma). Goddess of fame. Attendant of Jupi- 
ter. See Pheme. 



FAME — FEBRUXJS 



85 



Fame. A poetical deity. A temple was built in lier 
honor by the Romans. See Herostratus^ Pheme. 

Fate. Offspring of Night and Erebus. See Nereus. 

Fate§« Also called Moerse or Parcae, three sisters who 
sat near Pluto's throne weaving the destinies of human 
lives. Clotho, the youngest, -held the distaff : Lacheris 
spun the thread ; and Atropos cut the thread with her 
fatal shears, representing that another soul was about 
to enter Hades. See Norns. 

Fatuus (fat'u-us). Same as Fauna. 

Faun, A rural divinity somewhat like the Satyrs. They 
were half-man, half-goat, and were attendants of Pan. 

Fauna (faw'na). Wife of Faunus. Her oracles were 
delivered only to women. 

Fauiialia (faw-nali-a), or Lupercalia. An annual fes- 
tival held in honor of Faunus. 

Favoniu§ (fa-vo'ni-us). Same as Zephyr, tlie west wind, 
favorable to the growth of vegetation. 

Fays, Fantastic creatures of a later time, having vary- 
ing dispositions, now helpful, now mischievous. See 
Fairies, 

Fear. See Phlegyas. 

Feast§. See Comus, Festivals. 

Febris (fe'bris). To propitiate this evil deity she was 
worshiped by the people. 

Februus (feb'ru-us). A Roman deity in whose lionor 
lustrations were performed in the month of February. 
Also a surname of Lupercus. 



86 



FERONIA — FORTUNA 



Feroilia (fe-ro'ni-a). Tlie Roman goddess of orchards, 
and the patroness of enfranchised slaves. 

Fertility. See Lupercus, Lutimis. 

Fe§tivals. See Tlialia, Lupercalia, Matronalia, Miner- 
valia, Nemesia, Saturnalia, Septeriou, 

Fidelity. See lolaus, Fides. 

Fide§ (fi'dez). Goddess of faith and honesty. 

Filtli. See Cloacina, Augeas. 

Fine Arts, See Minerva. 

Fire. See Vesta, Vulcan, Salamander, Etn i. 

Fi§lieriiiaii. See Glaucus. 

Fleece. See Golden Fleece. Argonauts, Jason. 

Flies. See Muscarius. 

Flocks. See Pales, Napcece. 

Flora. Goddess of flowers and gardens. Wife of 
Zephyrus. She was the fairest among the inferior 
divinities. See Chloris. 

Floralia (flo-ra'li-a). Licentious games in honor of 
Flora, held in May. 

Flowers. See Flora, Chloris, Hortensis, Zephyrus, 
Hyacinthus, Sunflower, Heliotrope, Clytie. 

Flute. See Marsyas, Parthenope. 

Forgetful II ess. See Lethe. 

Fortuiia (for-tu'na). Goddess of fortune, daughter of 
Jupiter. She moved through the world on an ever- 



FOUNTAIN — F UNER ALS 



87 



turning wheel, and scattered good or ill fortune. This 
doubtless gave rise to the expression "the wheel of 
fortune." The Attican Fortuna was the goddess of 
plenty. She witnessed the fight between Hercules and 
Achelous, and admiring the valor of the former she 
took the horn which he had broken off the head of 
Achelous, and placing in it her treasures, she carried 
it as a trophy of the combat, and it has become the 
" horn of plenty." 

Fountain. See Egeria, Hippocrene. 

Fraud. An evil deity with a human face, a serpent's 
body, and the sting of a scorpion in her tail. She dwelt 
in the Cocytus, a river of Hades, and only her head ap- 
peared above the surface of the water. 

Frey (fri), or Freyr. The patron god of Iceland and 
Sweden, the god of fertility and peace. ^ 

Freya (fri'a). The Scandinavian goddess of love. Half 
of those who fall in battle are hers, the other half go to 
Odin. Friday is named in her honor. 

Friendship. See Orestes, Lofen. 

Frigga (frig'a). Same as Freya. Scandinavian goddess 
of marriage. The Saxon goddess of earthly enjoyments. 

Fro. The Scandinavian god of tempests and winds. 

Frogs. See Clotvns, Latona. 

Fruits. See Apples, Atlas, Discordia, Ceres, Carpo; 
Pomona. 

Funerals. See Libitina, Manes, 



88 



rUKlES — GAMES. 



Furies, The avenging deities, daughters of Acheron 
and Nox. They were named Alecto, Megeera, and Tisi- 
phone. Collectively they were also called Dirae, Erinys, 
Eumenides, and Semnae. See Coloniis, They wwe 
noted for their lieartlessness and cruelty. 

Futurity. See Cassandra. 

Oaea (je'a). The goddess of earth and mother of Uranus, 
the Titans, Cyclops, Centimani, and giants. 

Oalataea (gal-a-te'a) . A beautiful sea-nymph, beloved 
of Polyphemus, the hideous giant, whose attentions she 
refused, and also by the handsome Sicilian shepherd, 
Acis, whose affection she returned. Li a fit of rage 
Pol}' phemus hurled a huge rock upon the lovers as they 
sat together in the shade of a crag. Galatea being im- 
mortal was unhurt, but Acis w^as slain. See Pygmalion. 

Oalaxaure (gal-ax-au're). One of the Oceanids, a 
nymph presiding over a stream. 

Oalene (ga-le'ne). One of the Nereids, a personification 
of the shimmering light upon the surface of the sea. 

Oalli (gal'li). Priests of Cybele. During their sacrifices 
they would cut and slash themselves and act so much 
like madmen, that their name, Gallantes, w^as given to 
persons who were demented. 

Oamelia (ga-me'li-a). One of the names of Juno. 

Oames. Early in the history of Greece national festivals 
or games were instituted in honor of certain gods. 
These were regarded of such importance that during 



GANESA — GANG A 



89 



their progress the wars between the several states were 
suspended, and persons desiring to visit the games were 
permitted to pass, even through hostile territory, un- 
molested. 

The Olympian games, in honor of Jupiter, were held 
on the plain of Olympia, in Elis, every four years. 
These periods were called Olympiads. Boxing, wrestling, 
running, horse-racing, and chariot-racing were the chief 
exercises. The prize was a simple wreath of olive, but 
so great was the honor that kings sent their horses to 
compete in the races. 

The Pythian games also occurred every four years. 
These were held at Delphi in honor of Apollo, and com- 
prised contests in music as well as in athletics. The prize 
was a laurel wreath. 

The Nemean games occurred in the second and fourth 
Olympic years, and were celebrated in the forest of 
Nemea, the scene of Hercules' first great task, the slay- 
ing of the Nemean lion. They were designed to com- 
memorate his heroic deeds and early death. The prize 
consisted of an ivy wreatli. Some authorities contend 
that the Nemean games were in Iionor of Jupiter. 

The Isthmian games occurred every two years, and 
were held on the Isthmus of Corinth, in honor of Nep- 
tune. The prize was a simple w^^eath of pine. See 
Boxing {Pollux), Horsemanship (Castor), Wrestling 
(Deianira), Palaniedes. 

Oanesa (ga-ne'sa). The Hindoo god of wisdom and 
prudence. 

Crang-a (gang'ga). One of the three Indian river god- 
desses. Hence the Ganges. 



90 



GANYMEDE — GIANTS 



Ganymede (gan i-me-de). A beautiful Phrj^gian prince, 
son of Tros, king of Troy. Hebe, who served as Jupiter's 
cup-bearer, once displeased him upon a solemn occasion, 
and, assuming the form of an eagle, he swooped to earth, 
and discovering the beautiful Ganymede, caught him up 
and carried liim to Olympus, where he was carefully 
trained in his duties as cup-bearer. 

Gardens. See Pomona, Flora, Lutinus, Priapus, Ver- 
tumnus. 

Gates. See Janus, Horn Gate. 

Gautama (gau-ta-mah'), or Buddha. The founder of 
the Hindu Nyaya philosophy. 

Genii. Household deities, two of which attended every 
mortal. One brought him happiness, the other miserj". 

Genet or (jen'e-tor). The Lycian name of Jupiter. 

Geometry. See Mercury, 

Geryon (je'ri-on). A giant of Erythea having three 
bodies. His herds of cattle were guarded by Orthos, a 
two-headed dog, and Eur3'thion, a seven-headed dragon. 
These guardians Hercules slew, and brought the divine 
cattle to Eurystheus. This act was one of twelve labors 
which he was set to accomj)lish. Same as Geryones, 
Geryoneus. 

Giants. Beings of human, or partly human, form, but 
of monstrous size and usually of great ugliness, as the 
Titans and the Cyclopes. Thej^ were bold, fierce, and 
warlike, and are supposed to have personified the violent 
forces of nature, earthquakes, cyclones, volcanic action, 



GLAUCE — GNOSSIS 91 
etc. Their habitations we»-e not infrequently within the 
caves of ^tna. See Porphyrion. 

Olauce (glaw'se). One of the Nereids. See Galene, 
Gimlet. See Dcedalus, 

Oirclle. See Cestus, Hippolyte, Venus, Mercury, 

Glaueu§ (glaw'kus). A humble fisherman, who noticed 
that when his fish were thrown upon the sliore tliey 
snapped eagerly at the blades of a certain kind of grass 
and seemed endowed with renewed life, for they at once 
plunged into the sea. Tliinking the same vegetable diet 
might strengthen him he ate thereof, and was at once 
seized with an irrepressible desire to plunge into the sea. 
Yielding to the impulse, he was changed into a sea-god, 
and was worshiped by fishermen and boatmen, whose 
interests he protected. A second Glaucus was the 
grandson of Belleroplion. He aided Priam in the Trojan 
war, and exchanged his golden armor with Diomedes 
for an iron one. A third Glaucus, son of Minos and 
Pasipliae, was smothered in a cask of honey, and was 
restored to life by Polyidus, the soothsayer. 

Olaukopi§ (glaw-ko'pis). Minerva, so named because 
slie had blue eyes. 

Gnomes (no'mz). Dwarfed and mis-shapen goblins, the 
special guardians of mines and miners. 

Giiomides (no'mids). Female gnomes, special protec- 
tors of diamonds. They were reputed to be very small 
and beautiful. 

Gnossis (nos'sis). Ariadne, so named from the city of 
Gnossus, in Crete. 



92 



GOAT — GOLDEN APPLE 



Ooat. See Iphigenia, Venus, AmaltJtea, Capri pedes^ 
Mendes, Hykeus, Pan. 

Gold. See Midas. 

Oolden Age. The Golden Age occurred during the 
reign of Cronus the ripener," the harvest god." In 
this age the people had an abundance of everything 
necessary to their comfort and happiness. " Innocence, 
virtue, and truth prevailed ; neither were there any 
laws to restrict men, nor judges to punish.*' But noth- 
ing in this world is lasting. After wars with the Titans 
and with the Giants, in which the gods prevailed, peace 
was again established, and the Silver Age was ushered 
in. Jupiter now ruled the world, while Neptune held 
sway over the sea, and Pluto governed the netherworld. 
Although the earth brought forth of its abundance, men 
lacked the innocence and contentment which were the 
true sources of the happiness that prevailed during the 
Golden Age. They became selfish and overbearing, and 
lacked proper reverence for the gods. Then followed 
the Bronze Age, noted for its constant quarreling and 
deeds of violence. This was followed by the Iron Age, 
the worsts of all. Enfeebled by wars and strife, tlie 
people were obliged to toil for bread, and, bent on gain, 
they did their best to overreach one another. Passion 
knew no bounds, and men refused all homage to the 
gods. Jupiter's wrath was kindled against them, and 
after consulting with the other gods, he decided to sweep 
them off the earth by a great flood. For the repeopling 
of the earth, see Deucalion and Pyrrah. 

Oolden Apple. See Atalanta, Discordia, Hesperides, 
Atlas, 



GOLDEN FLEECE — GRACES 



93 



Crolden Fleece, Phryxus and Helle, son and daughter 
of Athamas and Nephele, to escape the cruel treatment 
of Ino, their stepmother, mounted a winged, golden- 
fleeced ram, sent by Neptune to carry tliem to Colchis. 
Frightened by the tossing waves underneath her, Helle 
let go her hold of the fleece, and fell into the sea which 
was afterward called the Hellespont. Phryxus, upon 
reaching Colchis, sacrificed the ram to the gods for the 
safety tliey had vouchsafed him, and hanging the golden 
fleece on a tree, stationed a dragon to guard it night and 
day. Tliis fleece Jason and his Argonautic expedition 
recovered, and carried back to Thessaly, and demanded, 
as his reward, that his uncle, Pelias, restore the throne 
to ^son, the rightful king, who was brother to Pelias, 
and father of Jason. See Jason. 

Cropya (go-pi'a). Nymphs of Indian mythology. 

Oorgoiis (gor'gonz) . These were three sisters of hideous 
appearance, named Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. Their 
hair took the form of twisting vipers. Everj'^ one who 
looked upon them was turned into stone. Perseus 
conquered them, and cutting off the head of Medusa, 
presented it to Minerva, who placed it in the center of 
her shield. She was afterward often called Gorgophone, 
or Gorgon-slayer. 

Graces, Daughters of. Jupiter and Eurynome, and 
attendants of Venus. They were named, Aglaia, so 
called on account of her beauty and goodness ; Thalia, 
from lier constant freshness ; and Euplirosyne, from her 
perpetual cheerfulness. They were rej^resented as beau- 
tiful and charming maidens, always dancing and singing, 



94 



GRADIVUS — HADES 



or bathing in the fountains, or bedecking themselves with 
flowers. They dwelt with the Muses in the neighborhood 
of Olympus. Authorities are not quite agreed as to their 
origin or number. They were also called Gratiae or 
Charities. See Hegeinone. 

Oradiviis (gra-di'vus). A name given to Mars by the 
Roman soldiers. 

Graeae (gre'e). Daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. They 
were three hideous creatures, old and withered, with only 
one eye and one tooth for the use of the three. They were 
named, Enyo, signifying '* horror ; " Deino, " alarm ; " 
and Pephredo, " dread.*' Their abode was a dark cav^e 
near the entrance to Tartarus. 

Granaries. See Tutelina. 

Orap§ios (grap'si-os). Jupiter, so named in Lycia. 
Grasshopper. See Tithonus. 

Griel. See Niobe, Egeria. Halcyone, Ismene, Lamenta- 
tion, Orpheus. 

Gyges (ji'jez), or Gyes. One of the three Centimani. 

Gyrtoii ( jer^ton) . A place in Thessaly, the scene of the 
combats between the Lapithee and the Centaurs. 

Hada. The Babylonish Juno. ' 

Hades (ha'dez). The infernal regions ; the nether world ; 
kingdom of Pluto. The name is also applied to Pluto 
himself ; and signifies dark, hidden, gloomy. Written 
also^c^es, oy Aides. See Narroi, Nastixind, Minos. 



H^MON — HALIE 



95 



Hcemon (he'mon). Son of Creon, lover of Antigone. 

Haefiius (he'mus). A mountain in Thrace to which 
Orplieus withdrew to mourn his loss of Eurydice. 

Hailiiiiorm. See Nuriel, 

Hair. See Nysus, Medusa, Nereides, 

Halcyone (hal-si'o-ne) , or Alcyone. Wife of Ceyx, king 
of Tiiessaly. While on his way to consult the oracle, 
his vessel was wrecked, and all on board perished. 
Halcyone went with her attendants daily to watch on the 
shore for the returning sails. The gods, taking pity on 
her, decided to break the sad news through a dream. In 
her vision she saw the body of her husband stretched 
upon the shore. Awaking in the morning, she fled in 
terror to the beach, only to see her husband's cold corpse 
washed upon tlie sand. Feeling that she could not 
endure life without him, she instantly cast herself into 
the sea. Touched by her intense love and grief, the 
gods changed both bodies into birds, called Halcyons, 
or Halcyon Birds. The expression "halcyon days" 
means such days as Halcyone and her husband spent 
together before his death. See Halcyons, 

Ilaleyoii«^ (hal'si-ons), or Halcyon Birds. The king- 
fisher, whose nest is supposed to have been built upon 
the waves which were always at rest during the period 
of brooding. The seven days preceding and the seven 
days following the sliortest day of the year, being 
exceptionally free from storms, were regarded as Halcyon 
Days. 

flalie (ha'li-e). Thoe and Halie were Nereids who per- 
sonified the fantastic play of waves of the sea. 



96 HALIRKHOTHItJS— HEATEK 



Hal irrliotli ills (hal-ir-ro'thi-us). A son of Neptune 
beloved of Alcippe, daughter of Mars. 

Haloa (ha-lo'a). A harvest festival in honor of Ceres. 

Hamadryades (ham-a-dri'a-dez) . Wood nymphs who 
presided over trees. See Nymphs, 

IIapp3iie§§. See Genii, Halcyone, 

Harbors. See Paloemon, Porfunus, 

Harmoiiia (har-mo'ni-a) . Wife of Cadmus. She was 

daughter of Mars and Venus and mother of Semele. 

Harpies. Loathsome creatures having the heads and 
breasts of women, the bodies of birds, and the claws of 
lions. They lived in filth, and poisoned everything they 
touched. They were named ^llo, Ocypete, and Celae- 
no, or Podarge. They were driven to the Strophades 
Islands by the sons of Boreas. The term is now applied 
to any ravenous wretch or extortioner. See Pandareus, 
Phineus, 

Harpocrates (har-pok'ra-tez) , or Horus. The Egyptian 
god of silence or secrecy. He was the son of Osiris and 
Isis. He was represented as a youth holding a finger to 
his lips. 

Harvest. A Roman deity who presided over the harvest. 
See Carpo, Segestia, Metagitnea, Ceres, Thesmophoria. 

Hawic. See Nysiis. 

Healtli. See Hygeia, Salus, Meditrina. 

Heartli. See Hestia, Manes, Vesta, 

Heaven. See Belisama, Coelus, 



HEBE — HECUBA 



97 



Hebe (he'be). Goddess of youth. Daughter of Jupiter 
and wife of Hercules. She was cup-bearer to Jupiter 
until an awkward slip at a feast deprived her of this 
office. See Ganymede. 

Mebrus (he'brus). The river into which the Bacchantes 
cast the remains of Orpheus after they had torn him to 
pieces because his grief for Eurydice prevented him from 
playing for them such music as they wished for their 
wild dances. 

Hecate (hek'a-te). Daughter of Perseus and Asteria. 
She was known as Diana on earth, Luna in heaven, and 
Hecate or Proserpine in the lower regions. 

Heeatombaeoii (hek-a-tom-be'on). A festival held at 
Olympia in Elis every fifth year in honor of Jupiter. 

Heeatoncheires (hek-a-ton-ki'rez). Same as Cen- 
timani, which see. 

Hector. Son of Priam, leader of the Trojans, and slain 
by Achilles. 

Hecuba (hek'u-ba). Mother of Paris, and second wife 
of Priam, king of Troy. She was the daughter of Dymas, 
a Phrygian prince, or, according to some writers, of 
Cisseus, a Thracian king. When her son Paris was 
born, she exposed him on Mount Ida, in the hope that he 
would perish, for the soothsayers had foretold that he 
would cause the death of his family and the downfall of 
his native city. In the Trojan war she saw most of her 
children perish and was herself made captive, falling to 
the lot of Ulysses. She cast herself into the sea and was 
drowned. Some say she was changed into a hound. 
7 



98 



HEGEMONE— HELIOPOLTS 



Hegeiiioiie (he-jem'o-ne). Auxo and Hegemone were 
tlie names given in Athens to two of the Graces. 

Heifer. See Ino. 

Helena (hel'e-na). Daughter of Jupiter and Leda. 
When a child she was so beautiful that Theseus and 
Perithous kidnapped her and placed her under the care 
of Theseus' mother. Castor and Pollux recovered her. 
She married Menelaus, king of Sparta, but afterward 
eloped with Paris to Troy. The king sent ambassadors to 
the court of Priam demanding her restitution, but 
Priam refused. This was the cause of the Trojan war. 
After the death of Paris she married Deiphobus, his 
brother, and then betrayed him to Menelaus. She was 
tied to a tree and strangled by order of Polyxo, king of 
Rhodes. Often written Helen. 

Heleiius (hel e-nus). King of Epirus. After the death 
of Hector, Andromache became his slave. 

Heliacles (he-li'a-dez). Sisters of Phaeton. Their names 
were ^gle, Lampetia. and Phaethusa. They stood 
mourning their brother's tragic death until they were 
changed into poplar trees, and their tears were con- 
verted into amber. 

Helicon (heli-con). A mountain in Boeotia sacred to 
Apollo and the Muses, whence flowed the fountain of 
Hippocrene. 

Heliconiacle§ (hel-i-co-ni'a-dez) . A name of the Muses, 
from Helicon. 

ileliopolis (he-li-op o-lis) . In Egypt, was the city of the 
sun. 



HELIOS — HERACLES 



99 



Helios (he'li-os). Helios and Sol were names given to 
Apollo as god of the sun. He went forth every day in 
his chariot, but returned at night in a golden boat which 
had wings. 

Heliotrope. Apollo changed Clytie, a love-lorn maiden 
whose affections he could not return, into this flower. 
Some writers say she was turned into a sunflower. 
See Clytie, 

Helle (herie). Tlie Hellespont, now called the Dar- 
danelles, was named in her honor. See Golden Fleece. 

Hellen. Son of Deucalion and Pyrrha. From him the 
Hellenic race derived its name. Its four great branches, 
the Cohans, Dorians, Achaeans, and lonians traced their 
names and descent from his four sons, JEolus, Dorus, 
Achaeus, and Ion. 

Hellespoiitiaeus (hel-les-pon-te'a-cus). A title of 
Priapus. 

Hemera (hem'e-ra). Nox or Nyx, meaning night, 
became the wife of Erebus, darkness, and bore to him 
two children, ^ther, the pure air, and Hemera, day. 

Hemplita (hemf^ta). The Jupiter of the Egyptians. 

Hepliae;§tia (hef-es-ti'a). Festivals in honor of Vulcan. 

Hephaestus (he-fes'tus). The Vulcan of the Greeks. 
See Vulcan. 

Hera (he'ra). The Greek name of Juno. See Juno. 

Heracles (her'a-clez). The Greek name of Hercules, 
which see. 



100 



HERCULES 



Hercules (her'cu-lez) , or Heracles. The Theban, son 
of Jupiter and Alcmene. Juno, the rightful wife of 
Jupiter, stung with jealousy, sent two serpents to de- 
stroy the infant Hercules, but, though only eight 
months old, he strangled them. He was carefully edu- 
cated by Chiron, a wise and kind Centaur, who taught 
him the use of all weapons, and trained him in athletic 
sports. Juno prevailed upon Jupiter to place Hercules 
under Eurystheus, king of Argos. This wicked and cruel 
taskmaster set him to perform what were thought to be 
impossible tasks. These are known as " the Twelve 
Labors of Hercules." 

1. To slay the Nemean Lion. This fierce creature had 
committed countless depredations, carried off cattle and 
sheep, and destroyed men, women, and children, and 
had eluded all attempts at capture. But the heroic 
Hercules tracked him to his den, took him by the throat, 
and strangled him as he had strangled the snakes in 
childhood. He skinned the beast, and afterward wore 
his pelt as a covering. 

2. To destroy the Hydra. Having returned in triumph 
from the scene of his first exploit, he was sent into the 
marshes of Lerna to destroy the many-headed Hydra. 
Having succeeded in cutting off one head he discovered 
that immediately seven other heads came in its place. 
Taking a fire-brand he seared each wound as soon as a 
head had been sundered, and soon completed the second 
task. 

3. To capture the Erymanthian Boar. This task was 
accomplished with like success. See Erymanthus. 

4. To capture tlie Cerynean Stag. See Cerynean Stag, 

5. To destroy the Stymphalian Birds. These danger- 



HEECULES 



101 



ous, brazen-clawed carrion birds infested the stagnant 
waters of Lake Stympliakis. In performing his second 
task he dipped the points of his unerring arrows in the 
poisonous blood of the Hydra. This increased their 
power of destruction and enabled him soon to destroy 
them all. 

5. To cleanse the Augean stables. See Aiigeus. 

7. To capture the Cretan Bull. See Cretan Bull. 

8. To capture the horses of Diomedes. See Diomedes. 

9. To secure Hippolyte's Girdle. Admete, the daughter 
of Eurystheus, Hercules' taskmaster, a beautiful but vain 
princess, had heard of the magic charms of Hippolyte's 
girdle, and expressed a desire to have it. Eurystheus at 
once sent off Hercules on a long and dangerous journey 
to secure it ; a task which he accomplished with his usual 
success. 

10. To capture the divine cattle of Geryon. See 
Geryon and Cacus. 

11. To procure some of the golden apples from the gar- 
den of the Hesj)erides. See Hesperides, Atlas. 

12. To bring up Cerberus from Hades. See Cerheras, 
The number and order of these tasks are variously 

stated by different writers. These and many other ex- 
ploits are ascribed to Hercules, whose wisdom, strength, 
and skill seemed to be sufficient for every emergency. 
He slew the Centaur, Nessus, to prevent him from carry- 
ing off Dejaneira, his wife. She accepted the Centaur's 
robe, and, in a fit of jealousy, upon one occasion, urged 
Hercules to put it on, which he had no sooner done than 
he was seized with an incurable disease. He erected a 
funeral pyre with his own hands on mount QEeta, for 
his faithful servants, knowing his purpose, refused to 



102 



HERDSMEX — HERMIOKE 



assist at his death. He then cast himself upon the burn- 
ing pile, and when Jupiter beheld the flames, he caught 
the disembodied spirit, and bore it to the abode of the 
gods, there to dwell in happiness forever. See Tracliinia 
CEeta. 

IIerd§i»eii. See Biibona. 

Hermae (her'me). Statues of Hermes, or Mercury, set 
up in Athens to denote boundaries, and as guide-posts to 
direct travelers. They were also placed in front of 
temples and tombs, in the g^^mnasia, porticos, libraries, 
and other public places, and were held in great rever- 
ence. Written also Hermes. It was the duty of trav- 
elers passing one of these sign-posts on the highways to 
place a stone at its foot. This custom served to clear 
the roads and fields of stones. If more than two roads 
crossed, a corresponding number of heads were used, 
one pointing each way. Sometimes the faces of Hermes 
and Apollo surmounted the same pedestal. Tliese were 
called Hermapollo. In like manner a combination of 
Hermes and Athene was called Hermathenae. 

IIeriiiaiiii1>i§ (her-ma-nu'bis). See Aniibis. 

Hermapollo (her-ma-pol'lo). See Hei^mce. 

Hermatlienae (her-ma-the'ne). See Hermce. 

Ilerme§ (her'mez). The Greek Mercury. 

Hermioiie (her-mi'o-ne) . Daughter of Mars and Venus, 
and wife of Cadmus, King of Thebes. She was converted 
into a snake and permitted to dwell in the Elysian Fields. 
She was sometimes called Harmonica. Another Her- 
mione, daughter of Menelaus and Helen, was betrothed to 
Orestes, but was carried away by Pyrrhus, son of 
Achilles. 



HERO — HESPERIS 



103 



Hero. A charming maiden, priestess of Venus. Leander 
swam the Hellespont every night to visit her, but was 
drowned at last in a terrible storm, and Hero, overcome 
by her sad loss, cast herself into the sea and shared his 
fate. 

Ileroclotu§ (he-rod'o-tus). The most noted of ancient 
historians. 

Heroes or Demigods. They were regarded as of divine 
origin partly, and were pictured as of godlike form, 
strength and courage. See Valhalla. 

Hero§tratiis (he-ros'tra-tus). See Diana of the Ephe- 
starts . 

Her§e (her'se). Daughter of Cecrops, king of Attica. 
She became the mother of Ceryx, from whom the priestly 
family of heralds of Attica were descended. 

Heslod (he'si-od) or Hesiodus. One of the most famous 
of ancient poets. 

Hesione (he-si'o-ne). Daughter of Laomedon. She was 
rescued from a sea-monster by Hercules. See Laomedon. 

Hespere (hes'pe-re). One of the Hesperides. 

Hesperia (hes-pe'ri-a). A name applied by iEneas to 
ancient Italy. 

Hesperides (hes-per'i-dez) . Three daughters of Hes- 
perus, king of Italy. They were appointed to guard the 
golden apples which Juno gave Jupiter on their wedding- 
day. See Atlas, Hercules, Titcea. 

Hesperis (hes'per-is). Mother of the Hesperides, A 
personification of the " regions of the West." 



104 



HESPEHUS — HIPPOCRENE 



Hesperus (hes'per-us). Father of the Hesperides. God 
of the West. He was changed into the evening star. 

Hestia (hes'ti-a). Greek Vesta. Goddess of the hearth. 
One of the twelve Olympian deities. 

Hieroglyphics. See Mercury. 

Hig-hways. See Janus, Hermce, 

Hildur. The Mars of Scandinavia. 

Hills. See Collina, 

Himeros (him'e-ros). Also Himerus. God of the de- 
sire of love " ; one of the attendants of Venus. 

Hippia (hip'pi-a) . A surname of Minerva. 

Hippius (hip'pi-us). A surname of Neptune. 

Hippo. One of the Oceanids. The term signifies " like 
a swift current." 

Hippocampus (hip-po-cam'pus). Neptune's favorite 
horse, a fabulous creature, half horse, half fish. 

Hippocooutides (hip-poc'o-on-ti'dez). Hercules as- 
sisted Tyndareus to regain his throne from which he had 
been driven by the family of Hippocooutides. 

Hippocrenides (hip-po-cre-nfdez). A name of the 
Muses, from the fountain of Hippocrene, the horse foun- 
tain, said to have been formed by a kick of the winged 
horse Pegasus. 

Hippocrene (hip-po-cre'ne). A fountain of Boeotia, 
near Mount Helicon , sacred to the Muses. See Hippo- 
crenides, 



HIPPODAMIA — HOPE 



106 



Hlppodamia (hip-po-da-mi'a). Wife of Pirithous. 

See Lapithus, Myrtilus. 

Hippoloctius (hip-pol o-ciis) . One of the three beauti- 
ful children of Bellerophon. 

Hippolyte (hip-pol'i-te). Daughter of Mars and queen 
of the Amazons. She had a famous girdle whicli Her- 
cules was commanded to secure. She and her female 
warriors attacked him, but were finally overcome, and 
Hercules gave her in marriage to Theseus. 

I]|ppolytu§ (hip-pol'i-tus). Son of Theseus and Hippo- 
lyte, a virtuous youth who, unwilling to elope with his 
young and beautiful stepmother Phaedra, was falsely 
accused by her, and met a violent death. According to 
some accounts he was raised to life again, some say by 
Diana, otliers by ^sculapius. 

Ilippomenes (hip-pom'e-nez). Same as Milanion. See 
Atalanta. 

Hippona (hip-po'na). A rural divinity ; the goddess of 
horses. 

Hippotes (hip'po-tez). Father of Eolus, god of the 
winds. 

History. See Herodotus, Clio, Saga. 

Homer. The father of poetry, author of the Iliad. 

Honesty. See Fides. 

Honey. See Aristmiis, Dryads. 

Hope. See Pandora^ Epimetheus. 



106 



HOR^ — HYACINTHIA 



Horse (ho're). Daughters of Sol and Chroiiis, or, accord- 
ing to others, of Jupiter and Themis. They were god- 
desses of tlie seasons and attendants of Venus. 

Horn. See Fortiina. 

Horn €rate. The gate leading from the cave of Somnus 
to the outer world. Same as Ivory Gate. See Morpheus. 

Horse. See Cyllaros, Oci/roe, October-Horse, Hippona, 
Ariou, Eons, Ethon, Enjthros, Centaurs, Hippocampus, 
Pegasus, Minerva, Neptune. 

Horsemanship. See Castor. 
Horse J^aces. See Neptune. 

Hortensis (lior-ten'sis) . A name of Venus in her char- 
acter of caretaker of flowers and plants in gardens. 

Horus (ho'rus). The Egyptian Sol, or god of day. Also 
the son of Osiris and Isis. See Harpocrates. 

Hostilina (hos-ti-li'na). Goddess of growing corn. 

Honncts. See Cisseta, Coran, Cyllo, Cyllopotes, Dogs, 
Draco, Endromos, Hecuba, Ichnobate, Ladon, Lcelaps. 

Hours. Attendants of Venus and of Apollo. 

Household. See Lares. 

Hundred-handed. See Centimani, 

Hung^er. See Erysichthon. 

Hunting. See Diana, Pan, Agamemnon. 

Hyaeinthia (hi-a-sin'thi-a). A festival in honor of 

Apollo celebrated annually at Sparta in July, and lasting 

nine days. 



HYACINTHIUS — HYMEK 



107 



flyaciiitliiii§ (hi-a-sin'tlii-us). A name of Apollo. 

Hyacinthiis (lu-a-sin'tlius). A boy greatly loved by 
Apollo and Zephyrus. Seeing Apollo and Hyacinthus 
engaged in a friendly game of quoits, Zephyrus, the 
south wind, ever jealous of the companionship of Hya- 
cinthus who was an exceedingly amiable youth, blew 
against the side of Apollo's quoit, and caused it to strike 
his friend , and lie died from the effects of the wound. The 
drops of blood that fell from the wound were instantly 
changed by Apollo into beautiful clusters of . hyacinths 
Vvdiich tlie disconsolate Zephyrus jealously guarded and 
tenderly cared for. 

Hyade§ (hl'a-dez). The seven daughters of Atlas and 
^thra. 

Hydra (hi'dra). A hundred-headed serpent slain by 
Hercules. See Hercules. 

Hygeia (hi-je'ya). Goddess of health. Daughter of 
^sculapius and Epione, and held in great honor by tlie 
ancients. Some writers say she was the wife of ^scu- 
lapius. 

Hylaeus (hi-le'us). A forest god. Same as Pan. 

Ilylas (hi'las). A beautiful youth who accompanied 
Hercules in the Argonautic expedition. Being sent to a 
spring to fetcli water, he failed to return, and Hercules 
discovered that the nymphs of the spring, enamored of 
his beauty, drew him to their abode. 

Hymen (hf men). God of marriage. Son of Bacchus and 
Venus, or, according to other writers, of Apollo and one 
of the Muses. Same as Hymenaeus. 



108 



HYMETTUS — ICELUS 



Hyniettus (hT-met'us). Name of a mountain in Attica. 

Hyperboreans (lii-per-bo're-ans). A virtuous race liv- 
ing north of Oceanus, where it was always light. 

Hyperion (hi-pe ri-on). "Wanderer on high;" the 
Titan who had charge of the sun-chariot. Son of Coelus 
and Terra. The model of manly beauty. 

Hyperiunestra (hi-perm-nes'tra). See Danaus. 

Hypnns. God of sleep. Same as Somnus, Hupnos, 
Hypnos. 

laeelius (i-ak'kus). A name of Bacchus, 
lapetos (i-ap'e-tos). Same as Japetus. 

lapis (I-a'pis). A physician Vv'ho, with the aid of Venus, 
cures ^neas. 

lasius (i-a-shi-us). Father of Atalanta. Same aslasion. 

Iblis (ib lis). The Satan of the Arabians. 

Icarus (ik'a-rus). Son of Daedalus. He and his father 
made themselves wings with which to fly from Crete to 
escape the anger of the king. The wings were fastened 
to the shoulders with wax, and in the exuberance of his 
joy at their novel means of escape, he flew too near the 
sun ; the wax melted, the wings dropped off, and Icarus 
fell into the Icarian, or ^gean, sea, and was drowned. 
See Dcedalus. 

leelus (is'e-lus). An assistant to Morpheus in the fash- 
ioning of dreams. See Morpheus. 



ICHNOBATE — IDUNA. 



109 



Ichnobate (ik-nob'a-te) . " Tracker." One of Actaeon's 
hounds. 

Ida. A mountain in Crete, the scene of many mytholog- 
ical events. Also the name of one of the nymphs who 
nursed Jupiter when, as an infant, he was concealed in a 
cave on Mount Ida. 

Idaea (i-de'a.) Same as Cybele, so called from Mount 
Ida, where she was worshiped. 

Ideeaii Iflotlier. Another name for Cybele. 

Idalia (i-da'li-a). Venus, so called from Mount Idalus, 
in Cyprus, where there was a grove consecrated to her. 

Idas. A handsome youth to whom Neptune lent his boat 
that he might carry off Marpessa as his bride. He also 
assisted Meleager in the Calydonian Hunt. 

Idomeiieus (i-dom'e-nuce). Son of Deucalion, king of 
Crete. On his return from the Trojan war, being caught 
in a terrible storm, he vowed to Neptune that, if per- 
mitted to escape destruction, he would offer to the god 
the first living creature he should see on reaching the 
Cretan shore. This was his son, and the performance of 
his vow offended his subjects and caused them to drive 
him from his dominions. It was while Menelaus was on 
a visit to Idomeneus that Helena, his wife, takhig advan- 
tage of his absence, eloped with Paris. 

Iduna (i-du'na) or Idun. Wife of Bragi, the Norse 
god of poetry and eloquence. She keeps in a box the 
apples whereof the gods partake when they feel old age 
approaching, and are thus made young again. 



110 



ILTA — INO. 



Ilia (il'i-a). One of the Titanides, daughter of Uranus 
and Gsea. Also a priestess of Vesta, wife of Mars and 
mother of Romulus and Remus. 

Iliad. Homer's epic poem on the Trojan war. 

Ilioii. Same as Troy, or Ilium. 

Ilitliyia. (il-i-thi'ya). See Eileithyia. 

Iiiibros (im'bros). Lemnos and Inibros, islands near 
Greece, where Mercury was worshiped as tlie god who 
gave fruitfulness to flocks and herds. See Cadmilus. 

Imperator. Jupiter, a name given him at Pra3neste. 
Iiiaelm§ (in'a-kus). A river god, father of lo. 
Incendiary. See Erosatus. 
Incense. See Venus. 

Incubns. "Nightmare." A name given to Pan by the 
Romans. 

Indigete§ (en-di-je'tez). Gods of the fourth rank. 

Indra. The Jupiter of the Hindoos. Indrant, his wife, 
presides over the winds and thunder. 

Indnslry. See Ergane. 

Infants. See Xatio, Levcuia, Nundina, Rumia Dea, 

Ingratitude. See Atalanta. 

In hospitality. See Busiris. 

Innus (in'nus) or Innuus. See Incubus. 

Ino (fno). Daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. She 
married Atliamas, king of Thebes, after he had divorced 



INOA — lOLE. 



Ill 



Nephele. Ino had two children Avho could not ascend 
the throne while Phryxus and Helle, Nephele's children, 
were living. Ino's ill-treatment of her stepchildren led 
them to plan their escape. See Golden Fleece. To escape 
the fury of her husband she cast herself into the sea and 
was drowned. Neptune changed her into a sea-goddess 
called Leucothea. 

Inoa (i-no'a). Festivals in honor of Ino. 

Inuus (in'ii-us). See Pan. 

Insanity. See Melampus, Phryxus, 

Instrumental Music. See Euterpe, Lyre, Flute (Mar- 
syas). 

lo (i'o), Daughter of Inachus. Because of her intrigue 
with Jupiter, she was driven by Juno out of the country. 
She finally reached Egypt, and became the wife of King 
Osiris. Her son Epaphus became the first king and 
founder of Memphis. After her death lo was worshiped 
as the goddess Isis. 

lobates (i-ob'a-tez) . King of Lycia, to whom Proetus, 
son of Abas, fled for protection from his father Acrisius. 

lolaus (I-o-la'-us) or lolas. Son of Iphicles. He lielped 
Hercules to destroy the Hydra. See Hydra. Lovers 
used to go to his statue at Phocis to pledge their love 
and fidelity. 

loleus (i-ol'cus). Seat of the ancient race of the Minyas, 
in Thessaly, kingdom of ^son. 

lole (I'-o-le). Daughter of Eurytus, king of CEchalia, 
who refused the marriage of lole with Hercules. 



112 



ION — TSIS 



loii (foil). Grandson of Helen, ancestor of tlie Ionian 
race. 

lotliim. Giants and monsters of Celtic mythology. 

Ipliicles (if'-i-clez) or Ipliiclus. Son of Amphitr^^on 
and Alcmena, and twin brother of Hercules. Jealous of 
Hercules, Juno sent two serpents to destroy liim. Iphicles 
was filled with fear, but Hercules seized tliem, one in 
each hand, and squeezed them to death. 

Ipliigeiiia (if'-i-je-ni a). Daughter of Agamemnon and 
Clytemnestra. See Agamemnon. 

Ipliimedeia (if-i-me-de'ya). Mother of Otus and Ephial- 
tes, two giants who were puny when born, but who, living 
entirely upon grain, grew so fast that they became 
noted for their wonderful size and beauty. See Aloeus, 
Epldaltes. 

Iplii§ (I'-fis). Father of Eteoclus, who was one of the 
Seven against Thebes. 

Iri§ (T-ris). The rainbow. One of the Oceanides, attend- 
ant of Juno and messenger of the gods. Her duty was 
to cut the thread which held the soul to the body. She 
also filled the clouds with water from the streams an<l 
lakes, and caused the showers to fall and fertilize the 
earth. 

Iron. See Vulcan. 

Iron Age, See Golden Age. 

I§aiic1rus (I-sandrus). One of the three beautiful 

children of Bellerophon. He was slain by Mars. 
Isis (I'sis). An Egyptian deity, wife of Osiris. See lo. 



ISLES OF THE BLEST — IXIOK. 



113 



Isle§ of the Blest. These islands lay west of Oceanus, 
and were inhabited by the virtuous dead. 

Ismarus (is'ma-rus). A town in Thrace despoiled by 
Ulysses. 

Ismene (is-me'ne). She and Antigone w^ere daughters 
of CEdipus and Jocaste. The unfortunate marriage of 
their parents brought ruin and disaster to the family. 
Ismene died of grief. 

l§meniu§ (is-me'ni-us). See Daphnephoria, 

Isthmian Oames. See Games. 

Itanu§. The legends of Itanus, Talus, and Jardanus, 
found among the Greeks, in Crete, are ascribed to the 
Phoenicians, who once occupied the island. 

Ithaca (ith'a-ca). The insular kingdom of Ulysses, the 
home of Penelope. 

Itys (i'tis). Son of Tereus, king of Thrace, and Procne, 
daughter of Pandion, king of Athens. When he was six 
years old, he was slain by his mother and her sister, and 
served up to Tereus for food. This cruel act was done 
out of revenge, because Tereus cut out the tongue of 
Procne and sent her away in order that he might marry 
her sister. See Tereus, Procne. 

lulus (i-u'lus). Son of ^neas. See Silvia. 

Ivory Oate. Gate leading from the cave of Somnus to 
the outer world. Same as Horn Gate. See Morpheus. 

Ixion (ix-i'on). His ancastry is a subject of controversy. 
Some say his father w^as Phlegias, others say Leontes, 
and still others, Antion. Ixion was king of the Lapi- 
8 



114 JACCHUS — JANUS QUADRIFONS. 



tlia3. In return for the hand of Dia, he was to give her 
father a certain sum, which he declined to do. Being 
loudly importuned to fulfil his promise, he slew his 
father-in-law, and the case was appealed to the gods. 
Ixion pleaded his case so skilfully that Jupiter was 
about to acquit him, wlien he suddenly caught him mak- 
ing love to Juno. For this offense Jupiter sent him to 
Tartarus and had him bound to an ever-revolving wheel 
which with every turn exposed him to a flame of fire. 

Jaeelius (jak'us). See Dionysius. 
Jaiiitar (jan'i-tar). See Dyaus. 

Jani ( ja'-ni) . A meeting place in Rome for borrowers and 
lenders of money. It was marked by three statues of 
Janus. 

Janieulum (ja-nik'u-lum). A city on the Tiber founded 
by Janus. 

Jaiiu§ (ja'nus). A native of Thessaly and king of Italy. 
He was the son of Apollo ; some say of Coelus and Hecate. 
He is represented with two faces because he could see 
the future as well as the past. He presided over high- 
ways, locks, and gates. He was unknown to the Greeks, 
but was, from the earliest times, held in high esteem by 
the Romans. His teuiple was always open in time of 
w^ar, and closed in time of peace. See Months. 

Jaiiu§ Quadrlfons (ja'nus kwod'ri-fonz). A cele- 
brated temple dedicated to Janus. It was perfectly 
square, and had one door and three windows on each 
side. The doors represented the four seasons, and the 
windows the three months of each season. 



JAPETUS — JASON. 



115 



Japelus (jap'e-tus). Son of Coelus and Terra, husband 
of Clymene. The Greeks regarded him as the father of 
mankind. Same as lapetus. 

Jardatius. See Itanus, 

Jasioii (ja'si-on). The first sower of grain.- Ceres bore 
to him a son, Plutus, a personification of the wealth de- 
rived from the cultivation of grain. 

•f aso (ja'so). See Meditrina. 

Jason (ja'son). Son of Msonsmd Alcimedes. He was 
educated by the Centaur Chiron, and was the chief of 
the Argonautic expedition. On his way to Colchis he 
met with many interesting adventures. Juno and 
Minerva both aided him in overcoming the more serious 
obstacles, and his own courage, strength, and wisdom 
were sufficient to meet the rest. His great kind- 
ness of heart led him to befriend many persons on the 
way. Upon reaching Colchis, ^etes, the king, declared 
that before Jason could have the Golden Fleece he must 
catch and tame two fiery bulls and use them to plow a 
piece of stony ground sacred to Mars. Upon this ground 
he must sow some dragon's teeth and conquer the giants 
that would spring up from them. His third task was 
to destroy the dragon that had been set to guard the 
Golden Fleece. These seemingly impossible tasks would 
have baffled even so great a hero as Jason had he not 
had the assistance of Medea, the king's daughter, a 
beautiful young sorceress, who fell in love with the 
brave and manly Jason, and who promised to aid him in 
his labors if he would marry her. He gladly accepted her 
proposition, and by the aid of her magic he was enabled 



116 



JASON. 



to harness the terrible bulls and plow the field, and sow 
the dragon's teeth. When he saw the host of giants in 
full armor come out of the ground he would have fled, 
but Medea told him to snatch up some dust and throw 
it in their faces. Half blinded, they attacked one an- 
other, and soon were all slain. With an opiate prepared 
by Medea he next put the dragon to sleep, and then 
severed his hideous head, and, tearing the coveted fleece 
from the tree to which it had been fastened, he bore it 
in triumph to the Argo, where he was welcomed with 
rejoicing by his forty-nine companions in the expedition. 
Under cover of the night they stealthily sailed away, 
taking with them Medea and her little brother Absyrtus, 
the king's only son and heir. With the early dawn the 
king and his followers started in pursuit, and would 
have overtaken the Greeks had not the cruel Medea slain 
her only brother, and, cutting his body in pieces, 
dropped them one by one into the sea in sight of the 
distracted father. He carefully gathered up the precious 
fragments, thus delaying the speed of the boat, and soon 
lost sight of the fugitives. Upon reaching home, Jason 
found that his father ^son had grown old and de- 
crepit. He invoked the aid of Medea's magic, whereby 
he w^as restored to youth, strength, and grace again. 
Pelias, the brother who had usurped the throne of 
^son, had two daughters who, hearing how their uncle 
had been made young and beautiful, applied to Medea in 
order that their beauty might be enhanced. The crafty 
Medea gave them instructions which led to their father's 
death. Soon after, Jason fell in love with Glance, or 
Creusa. Frantic with rage and jealousy, Medea sent the 
maiden a beautiful magic robe, which she liad no sooner 



JEALOUSY — JUNO. 



117 



put on than she was seized with convulsions and died. 
Medea then slew her own children in the presence of 
their father, and, mounting her dragon car, she de- 
parted, declaring that the Argo would yet cause Jason's 
death. Filled with despair, he led a sorrowful life. 
One day he wandered to the shore, and sitting in the 
shade of the Argo's hulk, which was now fast going to 
decay, a sudden gale detached a beam, which fell upon 
him, fracturing his skull and producing instant death. 

Jealousy. See Procris, Galatcea, Hercules, Hyacinthus, 
Jason, 

Jocasta (jo-kas'ta). Daughter of Menoeceus. She mar- 
ried Laius, king of Thebes. She afterward married 
OEdipus, her son, not knowing who he was. On making 
the discovery, she hanged herself. She is sometimes 
called Epicasta. 

Jove. A name often used for Jupiter. 

Joy. See Nandi. 

Judg'es. In the place of departed spirits, Rhadamanthus 
was judge for the Asiatics ; ^acus for the Europeans. 
Minos was the presiding judge. See Triptolemus, 
Midas. 

Jug'atinus (ju-ga-tfnus). A marriage deity. 

Juno. Daughter of Saturn and Ops, or, according to 
the Greeks, of Cronus and Rhea. She was the queen of 
heaven, or the personification of the female powers of 
the heavens. The faithful wife of Jupiter and the ideal 
of womanly virtues, she punished severely all who 
transgressed, and especially those who liad been the 



118 



JUNONES — JUPITER. 



objects of Jupiter's affections. She was the goddess of 
marriage, and the special guardian of married women. 
In the competition for the golden apple she was dis- 
pleased with Paris for awarding it to Venus, for Juno 
accounted herself the most beautiful among the contest- 
ants. She was the mother of Mars, Vulcan, Hebe, and 
Lucina. She was worshiped with special reverence in 
Argos, Olympia, Corinth, and many other towns. Her 
favorite bird was the peacock. The Matronalia was the 
chief festival in her honor. It was held on the first of 
March annually, and only women were permitted to 
attend. See Argus, Paris, Parthenia. 

Juiiones (ju-no'nez). A term applied to the spirits 
or deities that afforded special protection to women. 

Jupiter. Son of Cronus and Rhea, or, according to the 
Romans, of Saturn and Ops, was born on Mount Ida, in 
Crete, and nourished by the goat Amalthsea. Pie was the 
chief god among the Romans who styled liim Optimus 
Maximus, the Best Greatest. As he presided over the 
phenomena of the heavens, he was frequently invoked by 
such titles as "cloud-gatherer," "mighty thunderer," 
" god of the broad light of day." As he ruled su]3reme in 
the affairs of men he was styled " the ruler and preserver 
of the world," "the father of gods and men." To pro- 
pitiate him, sacrifices were offered at the beginning of 
every important undertaking. , As the light of day is 
best represented by wliite, tliat color was sacred to him. 
His chariot was drawn by four white horses, his' priests 
wore white caps and offered up white animals as sacri- 
fices. He assumed the form of a white bull wdien he 
abducted Europa. While yet quite young, Jupiter rescued 



JUSTICE — KAKIA. 



119 



his father from the Titans. Later, with the help of 
Hercules, he overcame the giants, sons of earth, who 
sought to avenge the death of the Titans. With his 
many virtues as a god he coupled many of the weak- 
nesses of mortals. His first marriage was with Metis, a 
daughter of Oceanus, whom he swallowed before her 
son was born, in order to insure the continuance of his 
power as the chief deity. From his own head then 
sprang Minerva. Themis bore him Astraea and the Horse. 
Juno bore him Hebe, Mars, Vulcan, and Lucina. Ceres 
bore him Proserpina. Latona bore him Apollo and Di- 
ana. Dione bore him Venus. Maia bore him Mercury. 
Semele bore him Bacchus. Alcmene bore him Hercules. 
Mnemosyne bore him the Muses, and Eurynome bore 
him tlie Graces. He is usually represented with thun- 
derbolts in his hand, and with the eagle, his favorite 
bird, placed beside his throne. A deity corresponding 
to Jupiter is found in many nations. The Africans 
called him Amnion ; the Babylonians, Belus ; the Egyp- 
tians, Osiris ; the Greeks, Zeus. 

Justice. See Astrea, Nemesis, Themis, Dike. 

Jutiirnus (ju-tur'nus) . Sister and charioteer of Turnus. 

Juveiitus (ju-ven'tus). A name applied to Hebe, god- 
dess of youth. 

Kakia (ka'ki-a). Goddess of vice. When Hercules had 
finished his instruction under Chiron and had set out to 
seek his fortune, he was met by two beautiful women, 
Acrete, representing virtue, andKakia, representing vice. 
Each offered to be his guide, Kakia promised riches, 



120 KALI — KRODO. 

honor, ease, and love ; Acrete told him that if he chose 
to follow her/his life would be one of endless toil, hard- 
ship, and poverty, spent in waging war against evil. He 
chose the latter for his guide. 

Kali (kale). A goddess of the Hindoos, whence the 
name of the city Calcutta. 

Kaloe. A Mexican god. 

Kama (ka'ma). The Hindoo god of love. 

Kebla. The point towards which worshipers pray. 
The sun- worshipers toward sunrise, the Mahommedans 
toward Mecca. 

Kederli. A god of the Mahommedans corresponding to 
the English St. George. The Turks still invoke his aid 
in their wars. 

Kindness. See Litce. 

Kinn. Venus of the Egyptians. 

Knepli (nef). An Egyptian god, having a man's body 
and a ram's head. 

Kopo. A ceremony held at Thebes every eighth year in 
honor of Apollo Ismenius. 

Kora. Proserpine, or Proserpina, was also known to the 
Romans as Libera. The Greeks called her Kora or Per- 
sephone. 

Krislina. An Indian god, the revenger of wrongs. 
Krodo. The Saxon Saturn. 



KUMARA— LAKSHMI. 



121 



Kiimara (koo-ma'ra). The Hindoo god of war. 
Kuvera (koo-va'ra) . The Hindoo god of riches. 

L<at>claeu§ (lab'da-cus). Son of Polydorus, succeeded to 
the Throne of Thebes, after the death of Pentheus. 

Labe. The Circe of the Arabians. She had unbounded 
power of metamorphosis. 

L<abor. See Atlas, Hercules, 

L<al>yriiith. See Theseus, Daedalus, 

I^acliecis (lak'e-sis). One of the Parcse, or Fates. See 

Fates, 

Laciiiia (la-sin'i-a). A name of Juno. 

Laetura (lac-tu'ra) . A goddess of growing corn. 

L«acloii (la'don). One of Actseon's hounds. Also a river 
in Arcadia to which Syrinx fled, pursued by Pan, where 
she was changed into a reed, and where Pan made his 
first pipe. Also the dragon that guarded the apples in 
the garden of the Hesperides. 

Laelaps (le'laps). One of Actseon's hounds. Also one 
of Diana's hunting dogs that was changed into stone 
while pursuing a wild boar. 

JLcerte§ (la-er'tez). Father of Ulysses. 

L<aius (la'yus). He was slain by his son (Edipus. 

JLake. See Avernus, Cauther, Stymphalus, Limnads. 

Lakslimi (laksh'me). Hindoo goddess of wealth and 
pleasure. A wife of Vishnu. 



122 



LAMENESS — LAOMEDON. 



Lameness. See Plutus, Vulcan. 

liamentation. See Cocytus, Grief. 

L<aiiiia (la'mi-a). A female demon that enticed youths 
and fed upon their flesh. Among tlie Greeks and 
Romans, an evil deity greatly feared by children. 

Lamp. See Lares, Penates. 

Lampetia (lam-pe'shi-a). When Phaeton had been 
hurled from the sun-chariot of Apollo and slain, his 
sisters, Phaetusa, Lampetia, and ^gle, called the Heli- 
ades, spent their days in weeping and wringing their 
hands. The gods, in pity, transformed them into poplar 
trees and their tears into amber. 

Lampos (lam'pos) . Aurora's chariot horses were named 
Phaeton and Lampos. 

Laoeooii (la-ok'o-on). A priest of Apollo. In the Tro- 
jan war he appeared bringing tlie wooden horse into 
the cit3^ He and his two sons were strangled to death 
by serpents. This was supposed to be a punishment for 
having thrust his spear into the body of the wooden 
horse. 

Laodamia (la-od-a-mi'a). The beautiful daughter of 
Acastus and wife of Proterilaus. She was slain by 
Diana. 

Liaomeclon (la-om'e-don). Son of Ilus, and king of 
Troy, whose walls he, with the aid of Apollo and Neptune, 
built. Failing to receive the promised reward for liis 
services, Neptune sent a terrible monster to devastate 
the country. Tliis desolation, the oracle declared, could 
be stayed only by the sacrifice of a beautiful virgin. A 



LAPIS — LARARIUM. 



123 



young maiden was accordingly chosen by lot and chained 
by the priests to a rock near the shore, and there was 
devoured by the hideous beast, and peace prevailed for 
a year. Then the devastation began again, and another 
victim was sacrificed. At length the lot fell upon * 
Hesione, the daughter of the king. Laomedon at once 
offered a great reward to any one who would slay the 
monster. Hercules successfully accomplished the task, 
and again Laomedon violated his promise. Later Her- 
cules, with a notable band of followers stormed the city, 
slew the king and all his sons except Podarces, who, 
with Hesione, his sister, was taken captive to Greece. 

L<api§ (la pis). The Romans swore by Jupiter Lapis, the 
oath stone. 

I^apittiee (lap'i-the). Descendants of Lapithus. See 

Lapithus. 

Lapithus (lap'i-thus). Son of Apollo and Stilbe, and 
husband of Orsinome. Phorbas and Periphas, their 
children, had a numerous offspring, and these were called 
Lapithse. The Centaurs and the Lapithse were invited 
to the wedding feast -of Pirithous and Hippodamia. 
Struck with the unusual beauty of the bride, the Cen- 
taurs attempted to kidnap her, but the Lapithae, assisted 
by Theseus and Hercules, frustrated the attempt. This 
combat has afforded a fertile field for the painter. 

Lara (la'ra). A nymph, wife of Mercury, and mother 
of the two Lares. 

Lararium (la-ra'ri-um). The particular parts of the 
house where the statues of the Lares and Penates were 
kept. 



124 



LARES — LATONA. 



Lares (la'rez). Roman divinities of an inferior order 
wlio presided over lionies and families. There were two 
classes, the Lares and the Penates. Every household 
was under the protection of one Lar and several Penates. 
Their statues were placed within tlie doors of houses, or 
near hearths. Lamps were held in great reverence as 
the symbol of vigilance, and the dog was their sacrifice. 

JLark. See Scylla, Xysus, Birds. 

L<arvae (lar ve). The ancients believed that after death 
the spirits of the good became kindly Lares, while the 
spirits of evil-doers became Lemures, or Larvae, wicked 
spirits who wandered about the earth tormenting man- 
kind with all sorts of illnesses. The only remedy was 
to sacrifice to the gods. Those who died without due 
expiation were pursued by Larvae in the nether world. 

Latins. The people of Latinus. 

Liatiiius (la-ti'nus). King of Latium. 

L<atiiiiii (la'shi-um). Province of Italy ruled by Latinus. 

Latona (la-to'iia) or Leto. The goddess of dark nights, 
a beautiful daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, beloved 
of Jupiter to whom she bore Apollo and Diana. 
Juno, stung with jealous rage, banished Latona to 
earth and threatened punishment to any mortal wlio 
extended pity or help. Weary and thirsty she ap- 
proached a pool, and would liave refreshed herself but 
some husbandmen, sometimes called the Lycian Clowns, 
fearing Juno's vengeance, bade her pass on. and to fur- 
ther guard against her drinking of the water sprang into 
the shallow depths and stirred up the mud at the bottom. 



LAUGHTER — LEN^A. 



125 



Overcome with thirst Latona prayed that her cruel tor- 
mentors might never leave the spot where they stood, 
and Jupiter immediately changed them into huge green 
frogs. 

Laughter. See Momus, Venus, 
L<aurel. See Daphne, Peneis. 

Laveriia (la-ver'na). A Roman goddess invoked by 
rogues and thieves. 

Lavinia (la-vin'-i-a) . Daughter of Latinus. She became 
the second wife of ^neas. 

La w§. See Menu, Nomius, Themis, Eunomia, Satyavrata. 

Leander (le-an'der). See Hero, 

Ijearelius (le-ar'kus). Son of Athamas and Ino, and 
brother of Melicestes. He was slain by his father. 

Leda (le'da) . Daughter of Thestius and Eury themis, and 
mother of Castor and Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra. 
She was wooed by Jupiter in the form of a swan. After 
death she was named Nemesis. 

Legislation. See Eunomia, Laws. 

Lelaps (le'laps). See LcElaps. 

Lemnius (lem'ni-us). A name of Vulcan. 

LiCmnos (lem'nos). See Imhros, 

Lemures (lem'u-rez). See Larvce. 

Leiiaea (le-ne'a). A festival in honor of Bacchus in 
which one of the principal features was a shameful night 
procession of women. 



126 



LEN^US — LEUCOTHEA. 



!Leii£eu§ (le-ne'us) . A name of Bacchus. 

Lerna (ler'na). The lake near Argos where Hercules 
conquered the Lernaean Hj^dra. Also the name of a place 
where Neptune rescued a beautiful Danaid from the 
attack of a Satyr, and where he caused a perennial spring 
to flow in her honor. 

Lesbos (les'bos) . An island in Greece, noted as the home 
of many celebrated poets and musicians. 

Lethe (le'the). A river which separates the Elysian 
Fields from Hades. Thousands that drank of its waters 
at once forgot all they ever did or knew while on earth. 

Leto (le'to). See Latona. 

Letters. See Cadmus, Oannes. 

Leueippus (lu-sip'pus). Father of Phoebe and Hilaeira, 
who were married to Lynceus and Idas. Castor and 
Pollux being invited to the wedding became enamored 
of the brides and attempted to carry them off. In the 
fight that ensued, Castor slew Ljmceus, husband of 
Phoebe, Idas slew Castor, and Pollux slew Idas, husband 
of Hilaeira. Pollux then implored Jupiter to restore his 
brother Castor to life, proposing that they should live 
only on alternate days, and his request was granted. 

Leucopliryne (lu-co-fri ne). Under this title Diana 
was worshiped in Asia Minor. 

Leucosia (lu-co'shi-a). See Sirens. 

Leiieotliea (lu-co-the'a). A name applied to Ino after 
the gods had transformed her into a sea-nymph. See 
Ino. 



LEV ANA — LILITH. 1 27 

£ievaiia (le-va'na). The guardian deity of new-born 

children, 
LiCvel. See Dcedalus, 
L-ewdiiess. See Cotytto, Lencea. 
Liiakura (li-a-ku'ra). Mount Parnassus. 
Liiber (le'ber). Same as Bacchus. 
Libera (lib'e-ra). See Kora, 

Liberalia (lib-er-a'li-a) . Festivals held in autumn in 
honor of Bacchus. 

Liberal Arts. See Minerva. 

Liiber Pater. Same as Bacchus. 

Liberty. See Bacchus. 

Liibissa (li-bis'sa). Queen of fays and fairies. 

Libitina (lib-i-ti'na) . The principal funeral deity among 
the Romans. Same as Luhentiiia. 

Lieentiousness. See Lewdness, Belphegor, Baal-peor. 

Liehas (li'kas). Son of Dejaneira who carried the fatal 
robe to Hercules. See Hercules. 

Lig^ea (li-je'a). A sea-nymph or siren. Same as Ligeia, 
Lig'ht. Same as ^ther. 
JLigbtiiing^. See Agni. 

Lilith (lil'ith). A Jewish legend says she was Adam's 
first wife, and was driven from paradise for disobeying 
him. She was regarded as a specter, and was the special 
dread of children. 



LIMXADS— LOFXA. 



L<mmacl§. Xymphs of lakes, marshes, and swamps. 
They alkired and misled belated travelers by their mock 
screams for help. 

Liimuaia (lim-na'ya). Diana as the special goddess of 
marshes. 

Liiiioiiiacli (li-mo'ni-adz). Nymphs of meadows and 
flowers. 

Liiiia. The goddess of weaving, 
l^iiideii. See Trees, Baucis. 

Lindor. A shepherd lover ; a love-sick swain. See 
Coi^don. 

Linus (linns). A teacher of Hercules, who for neglect 
of duty attempted to punish hisiDupil. Hercules resisted 
and slew his master. 

Lion. See Atalanta, Cliimcera, Echidna, Mater Turrita. 

JLips. A winged wind-god, who from the southeast 
wafted home the ships as they approached the harbor of 
Peiraeus. 

Little Bear. See Calisto. 

Liiver. See Tifi/iis, Prometheus. 

Loeks. See Janus. 

Litae (h te). Sweet-natured goddesses who comforted and 
soothed those whom Ate distressed. 

Lizard. See SteUio. 

Loi'eii. The Norse god who presides over friendship. 
Lofna. The Norse goddess who reconciles lovers. 



LOKT— LUTIKUS 



129 



Lioki (15 ki). Same as Lok, or Loke. The Norse god of 
strife or spirit of evil. 

Lotis (lo tis) . A nymph, daughter of Neptune, who was 
pursued by Priapus, and only escaped by being changed 
into a lotus plant. 

LiOve. See Cupid, Psyche, Eros, Venus, Corydon, Linda, 
Lofna. 

Lueian (lu'shi-an). The impersonation of folly. 

Liucifer (lu'si-fer). The planet Venus, when it appears 
as the morning star, is called Lucifer ; when it appears 
in the evening it is called Hesperus. Also a name of 
Satan, the Prince of Darkness. 

LiUCina (lu-si'na). Daughter of Jupiter and Juno, or, 
according to others, of Latona. The goddess who pre- . 
sided at child-birth. The name is sometimes applied to 
Juno herself. 

L<una. Goddess of the moon. See Diana, Hecate. 

Lupereal (lu-per'-cal). A grotto in the Palestine Hill 
in Rome, sacred to Lupercus. 

Liuperealia (lu-per-ca'lia). Festivals held on the 15th 
of February in honor of Lupercus. 

JLupercus (lu-per'cus). The Roman god of fertility, an 
early rustic deity somewhat identified with Faunus. 
See Pan. 

Liitinu§ (lu-ti'nus). Called also Priapus. He was a son 
of Bacchus and Venus, and was god of the fertility of 
nature and guardian of vineyards, gardens, and fields. 



ISO 



LY^trS— LYMNIADES 



Lyaeus (ll-e'us). One of the many names of Bacchus. 

Lycaoii (li-kaon). King of Arcadia, and father of 
Callisto. See Lycaonian food. 

L<yeaoiiian Food (lik-a-o -ni-an). Lycaon, to test 
Jupiter's power of discernment, served up to him a dish of 
human flesh. The god discovered the trick and punished 
the offender by turning him into a wolf. The term is 
now applied to any nauseating or revolting food. 

Liycia (lish'i-a). The land ruled by lobates who sent 
Bellerophon to slay the Chimera. 

L-ycian Ciowii§ (lish'i-an). See Latona. 

L<ycius (lish'i-us). A name applied to Apollo as the god 
of light. Lycia was the center of this form of worship. 

Lycomedes (lik-o-me'dez). King of Scyros, son of 
Apollo, treacherously slays Theseus. He affords shelter 
to Achilles w-ho, dressed as a girl, is permitted to grow 
up with Lycomedes' daughters. 

Liyeiii'fifus fli-cur'gus). A celebrated Spartan lawgiver. 
Also king of Thrace, whom Bacchus drove mad, and 
caused him to kill his son, and afterward to destroy 
himself in despair. 

liyciis (li'kus). The second husband of Antiope. He 
was slain by Amphion and Zethus. 

Liydia. Kingdom of Midas in Asia Minor. 

Liyinnlades (lim-ni'a-des). Same as Limnads. See 
Nymphs. 



LYNCEUS — MAGICIANS 



131 



Liynceus (lin'se-us). Son of Apliareus, was one of the 

hunters of the Calydonian Boar, and also one of the Ar- 
gonauts. He was noted for his power of sight. Another 
of the same name, son of ^gy pt us and husband of 
Hypermnestra, wlio shared her husband's life, preferring 
to be regarded as a weak woman rather than to be a 
murderess. She became the mother of the Argive line 
of kings. See Danaus. 

Lyncus (link'us). King of Scythia, changed by Ceres 
into a lynx. 

l^ynx. See Lynciis. 

Lyra. Orpheus' lute, placed as a constellation in the 
heavens. 

L<yre. A favorite instrument with the gods. By its 
wonderful tones Amphion built the walls of Thebes, 
Arion charmed the dolphins, Orpheus beguiled the most 
savage beasts, and even the Harpies and the gods of the 
infernal regions, and Hercules broke the head of Linus, 
his teacher, with the lyre he was learning to play. See 
Mercury. 

macliaon (ma-ka'on) or Machseon. Son of ^sculapius. 
Like his father he was a great physician. He healed the 
foot of Philoctetes. 

Iflaeander (me-an'der) . A river of Asia Minor celebrated 
for its many windings, hence the term " jneandering." 

IHaeiiacles (men'-a-dez). Same as Maenads. Priestesses 
of Bacchus. 



magicians. See Telchines. 



132 



MAGNA DEA — MARS 



Iflagna Dea, See Ceres. 
Hag-pies. See Pierides. 

Haia (ma'-ya). Mother of Mercury, goddess of the 
plains, and also goddess of growth. 

mammon. The god of riches. 

Jflanes (ma'nez). A name given by the ancients to the 
spirits of the dead. The god of funerals and tombs. 
The Lares, Penates, and Manes shared with Vesta the 
honor of being invoked for special blessings upon the 
family hearth. 

Marina (ma-ri'-na). A name applied to Venus, mean- 
ing sea-foam, because she was formed from the froth of 
the sea. See Aphrodite. 

Marpessa. Daughter of Eyenus and wife of Idas. She 
and her husband eloped, and were assisted by Neptune, 
who loaned them his chariot, but they were brought 
to a sudden halt by Apollo who claimed Marpessa's 
hand. A voice from a thunderbolt declared that 
Marpessa should exercise her choice, and the lot fell to 
Idas. 

Marriage. See Hymen, Cama, Juno, Jugatinus, Frigga^ 
Pilumnus, Unxia. 

Mars. God of war. Son of Jupiter and Juno. He was 
originally god of the tempest and hurricanes. From this 
to god of the storm of battle the transition was easy. 
His favorite goddess was Venus. In the Trojan war 
he opposed the Greeks and was overcome by Dioniede, 
" He fell," says Homer, "with a crash like that of ten 
thousand warriors engaged in battle." His sons, like 



MARSHES — MATURA 



133 



himself, were fond of strife, and distinguished them- 
selves by their prowess in battle. There was in Rome a 
large space called Campus Martins, the Field of Mars, on 
which were held military maneuvers, athletic contests, 
and martial games. The booty brought back from the 
wars was also dedicated here. The first month of the 
old Roman year (March) was sacred to Mars. See Salii. 

DHarsIies, See Lymniades, Limnaie, Nymphs. 

Marspiter (mars'pi-ter) . The Romans believed Mars 
to be the father of Romulus and Remus, and regarded 
themselves as his direct descendants. He was their 
Mars Pater, their father Mars. 

]W[ar§ya§ (mar'si-as). A Phrygian satyr, a famous piper, 
who challenged Apollo to a musical contest, and being 
defeated, was, according to previous arrangement, 
flayed alive. When the mountain nymphs learned of 
the sad fate of Marsyas, who had been a great favorite 
w4th them, they shed such a torrent of tears as to form 
a river which was named Marsyas in memory of the 
sweet musician. He was the reputed inventor of the 
flute. 

Mater Turrita. A name given to Rhea, goddess of the 
earth with its mountains and forests, which sheltered 
the lion and panther, and which it was her delight to 
tame. 

Matroiialia (mat-ro-na'li-a). Roman festivals in honor 
of Juno. 

IIIariit§ (ma'roots). The Hindoo god of tempests, 
niatura (ma-tu'ra). A rural deity, guardian of the 
ripening corn. 



134 



M AXIMUS — MED USA 



maximum. An appellation of Jupiter, the greatest of 
the gods. 

Meadows. See Simoniads, Nymphs, 
Measures. See Jlerciiry. 

Meehaiiitis (mek-an-I'tis) . One of the numerous names 
applied to Minerva, signifying " ingenious." 

Medea (me-de'a). Daughter of ^tes, king of Colchis, 
and niece of Circe. She was a celebrated magician, and 
having fallen in love with Jason, she by her witchcraft 
made him proof against fire and sword. See Jason. 

Medicine. See Apollo, ^sculapius, Machaon, Physician, 
Meditrina, Podalirius. 

Meditation. See Harpocrates. 

Mediterranean. The sea that divided the world in 
two, according to the belief of the ancients. 

Meditrina (med-i-tri'na). Hygeia preserved health, 
Meditrina restored it. Same as the Greek goddess Jaso. 
An annual festival in her honor was called Meditrinalia. 

Medusa (me-du'sa). The youngest and most beautiful 
of the three daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. Her sisters 
were regarded as immortal, but Medusa was mortal. 
For desecrating the temple of Minerva that goddess 
changed her beautiful hair into serpents. Her face be- 
came so hideousl}' terrible that all who looked upon her 
were changed into stone. Perseus cut off her head, 
and placed it on Minerva's shield, which became at once 
an object of terror to all who beheld it. See Gorgons. 



MEGARA — MELEAGER 



135 



Megara (meg'a-ra). The first wife of Hercules, whose 
three children he, in a fit of madness, burned to death. 
Also the name of a country of which Pylus was king, 
with whom Pandion took refuge when driven from 
Attica by the sons of Metion. 

megseni (me-je'ra). Tisiphone, the avenger of murder ; 
Alecto, the unwearied persecutor ; and Megaira, the 
grim, were tlie Furies, the goddesses of vengeance. In 
early times their number varied, but it was afterward 
fixed at three. See Furies. 

Meijfale (meg'a-le). A Greek name of Juno. 

Melampus (me-lam pus). Proetus had three beautiful 
daughters who scorned the worship of Bacchus, and 
ridiculed the sanctity of Juno's shrine. For this they 
were punished by a form of insanity wliich drove them 
forth to wander as cows among the hills and woods of 
Argos and Arcadia. Melampus w^as asked to work a 
cure. He consented, upon condition that he should have 
a third of the kingdom. He was refused, and the evil 
grew worse. Other women abandoned their husbands, 
slew their children, and wandered about lowing like 
kine. Melampus was recalled, and now demanded an 
additional third of the kingdom for his brother Bias. 
Proetus consented, and the evil was cured. The eldest 
princess died, and the other two were given in marriage 
to Melampus and Bias. 

Meleager (me-le-a'jer). Son of (Eneus, king of Calydon, 
and Althea, his wife. Upon reaching manhood Meleager 
took part in t]ie Argonautic expedition, but his fame 
rests cliiefly upon his leading the hunt for the Caly- 
donian Boar. ^ 



136 



MELETE — MENELAUS 



Melete (mel e-te). One of the Muses who, with her 
sisters Mneme and Aoedte, are supposed to be daughters 
of Uranus. 

Ulelia (me'li-a). Wife of Inachus, who stands as the 
head of the Argive line of heroes. 

Meliaii IVymplis. The nymphs who nursed Jupiter in 
his infancy. 

Melicerta (mel-i-ser'ta). See Palcemon. 

Helicertes (mel-i-ser'tez). Youngest son of Athamas 
and Ino. 

JHelobosis (me-lob'o-sis). An Oceanid, nymph of " The 
river that waters the meadows." 

Melloiia (meHo'na). The goddess of bees. 

Melpomene (mel-pom'e-ne). Daughter of Jupiter and 
Mnemosyne. She presided over tragedy. See Muses. 

memnon. King of Ethiopia. Son of Tithonus and 
Aurora. He came with ten thousand men to assist 
Priam in the Trojan war. He was slain by Achilles. 
A statue was erected in his honor, and from this statue 
a peculiar sound issued every morning at sunrise. 

Memory. See Mnemosyne, Munin. 

Mendes (men'dez). The Egyptian Pan. He was wor- 
shiped in the form of a goat. 

Menelaiis (men-e-la'us). King of Sparta, and brother 
of Agamemnon. His wife Helen, or Helena, was the 
most beautiful woman of her time. Her elopement with 
Paris was the cause of the Trojan war. See Helena. 



MENCECEUS — MERCURY 



137 



mencBceus (me-ne'se-us). Father of Jocaste, wife of 
Laius and mother of (Edipus. 

Menetius (me-ne'shi-us) . One of the four sons of Japetus 
and Clymene. 

rHentor. A name assumed by Minerva while serving as 
guide to Telemachus. 

Menu (ma'noo) . The Hindoo lawgiver. 

Merchants. See Mercury. 

Mercuralia (mer-cu-ra'li-a). Festivals in honor of 
Mercury. 

Mercury. He was the messenger of the gods in general, 
and special messenger, ambassador, and herald of Jupi- 
ter. He presided over eloquence, and was patron of 
commerce and gain. He is supposed to have invented 
the lyre, and also weights and measures. The lyre he 
gave to Apollo and received in exchange the Caduceus 
which the god of poetry used to drive the flocks of 
King Admetus. He was regarded a most accomplished 
thief, having stolen the bow and quiver of Apollo, the 
trident of Neptune, the girdle of Venus, the sword of 
Mars, and the tools of Vulcan. He was sometimes styled 
the god of thieves. One of his principal offices was to 
conduct the souls of the dead to Hades. In very early 
times he had special charge of the flocks whose increase 
constituted the chief source of wealth. Later it was 
found that trade was more profitable than grazing, and 
he became the god of trade and traders. A smooth 
tongue influences purchasers, hence he became the god 
of persuasive speech. Cunning and roguery soon played 



138 



MERMAID — MIDAS 



their part, and Mercury became the protector of rascals 
and thieves. 

IfJermaid. See Nereides. 

Merope (mer'o-pe). Daughter of CEnopion, and the 
promised but lost bride of Orion. She married Sisyphus, 
son of ^olus, and was changed into a constellation. 

See Pleiades. 

Meru (mer'oo). The Hindoo Olympus, the abode of the 
god Vishnu. It is on the top of a mountain 8,000 leagues 
high. 

Metagitiiia (met-a-jit'ni-a). An Athenian festival in 
honor of Apollo as t}ie god of harvest and plenty. 

Metals. See Vulcan, Midciber. 

Metamorphosis (met-a-mor'fo-sis). See Proteus, Jupi- 
ter, Pygmalion. 

Metaiiira (met-a-ni'ra). Wife of Celemo, King of Eleu- 
sis and mother of Triptolemus. 

Metion' (me'shi-on). See Megara. 

Metis (me'tis) . Daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. The 

personification of prudence. By Rhea's counsel she 
gave Cronus a nauseous potion whicli obliged him to 
give up the children he had swallowed. 

Midas (mi'das). Son of Gordius and king of Phrygia. 
For his hospitality to Silenus his highest wish was to 
be gratified by Bacchus. He asked that everything he 
touched might be turned into but when his food 

became metal, and he was in danger of starA^iiig, lie 
begged the god to revoke the favor. Bacchus told him 



MIDEA — MIMIE 



189 



to bathe in the river Pactolus, and upon complying, he 
was at gnce restored to his former condition, but the 
sands of the river remained golden forever. Midas 
was once appointed judge in. a musical contest between 
his favorite flute-player Pan, and Apollo. Midas gave 
the prize to Pan. To show his supreme contempt for 
such low musical taste, Apollo bestow^ed upon him a pair of 
asses' ears. To hide his sliame Midas had his barber pre- 
jjare him a wig to cover his ears, and pledged the barber 
to secrecy on pain of death, but being unable to keep the 
joke, he dug a deep hole in a field and shouted the secret 
into it. Reeds soon grew about the liole, and as they 
bent in the wind they were heard to murmur " Midas, 
King Midas has asses' ears," so that all who passed by 
could hear. The expression " Midas-eared " is often used 
to denote indiscriminating or ill-advised judgment. 

Midea (mi-de'a). An old fort in Mycenae where Arfceus 
and Thyestes, having slain Chrysippus, found refuge. 

milaiiion (mi-la'ni-on). Husband of Atalanta. Same 
as Hippomenes. 

Iflilo (mi'lo). A noted strongman of Crotona, Italy, who 
slew a bullock with his fist, and carried it on his slioul- 
der. He also ate it in one day. When an old man be 
attempted to pluck up a tree, but the limbs split apart 
and caught his hands fast in the rift, and wolves came 
and devoured him. Milo is also the name of an island- 
where the statue of Venus was found. 

Mimallones (mi-maro-nez) . Wild women who took 
part in the orgies of Bacchus. So named because they 
put horns on tlieir heads and mimicked his actions. 

mimir (me'mer) . The Scandinavian god of wisdom. 



140 



MIND— MINOTAUR 



Mind. See Erinnys. 

Minerva (min-er'va). Tlie Roman Athene, goddess of 
wisdom, war, and all the liberal arts. She sprang full- 
armed from the head of Jupiter, and at once took her 
place in the assembly of the gods. Her counsel was of 
great service to Jupiter. She could hurl his thunder- 
bolts, prolong the lives of mortals, and bestow the gift 
of prophecy. She had many names, of which Athene, 
Pallas, Glaucopis, and Parthenos were the most common. 
She was called Tritonia because she was worsliiped near 
lake Tritonis ; Hippia, because she taught mankind the 
use of the horse ; and Sais, being worshiped at Sais. To 
her is ascribed the invention of numbers, and the number 
five is sacred to her. She presided over peace, defensive 
war, and needlework, thus combiuiug the qualities of a 
god with those of a goddess. Her chief temple was the 
Parthenon at Athens. The city was named in her honor. 
Ruins of the temple still remain. The Elgin Marbles 
w-ere obtained from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin many 
years ago and placed in the British Museum. 

Minervalia (min-er-va'li-a). Festivals held in Rome 
annually in honor of Minerva. 

Mines. See Gnomes. 

Mino§ (mfnos). Son of Jupiter and Europa, and king of 
Crete. His laws were still in force in the time of Plato. 
After death he became the supreme judge of the spirits 
in Hades. 

Minotaur (min'o-tawr). A monster; half man, half 
beast, confined in a famous labyrinth. See Ariadne, 
Theseus, Dcedalus. 



MINY^— MOMUS 



141 



Minyae (min'i-e). lolcus, in Thessaly, was the seat of 
the ancient race of the Minyae. 

mirth. See Momus, 

Misery. See Genii, 

Hithras (mi'thras). The Persian Sol, ruler of the 
universe. 

mneme (ne'me). One of the three later Muses, not in- 
cluded in the nine referred to by Homer and Hesiod. 

H nemo syne (ne-mos i-ne). Goddess of memory and 
mother of the Muses. She was one of the six daughters 
of Uranus, called the Titauides. Jupiter, in the guise of 
a shepherd, wooed her. 

Mockery. See Momus. 

Modesty. See Astrea, 

Mflerae (me're). The Fates, or Parcae, who spin, twist, 
and cut the thread of life. In earlier times there appears 
to have been but one goddess, Moera, instead of three. 

Mfleragetes (me-raj'e-tez). A title applied to Jupiter as 
leader of the Moerae. 

Molocli (mo'lok). The Phoenician god to whom human 
victims, mainly children, were sacrificed. Hence, any 
evil influence which impels us to destroy that which we 
should love and cherish. 

Momus (mo'mus). The god of mirth. He amused him- 
self by turning into ridicule the doings of the gods and 
goddesses. Veuus was the only one against wliom he 
could find nothing worthy of blame, and he vexed him- 



142 



MONET A — MOON 



self to death in consequence. He is also called the god 
of mockery and blame. 

Moiieta (mo-ne'ta). A name applied to Juno as the god- 
dess of money. 

money. See Moneta, Mammon, Wealth. 

Monsters. See Centaurs, Centimani, Cliaryhdis, Dragon. 
Gerijon, Gorgons, Gra^ce, Harpies, Hippocampus, Hydra, 
Minotaur, Oannes, Partlienope, Polyphemus, Scylla, 
Sleipner, Typhon. 

Months. January was named in honor of Janus, the Roman 
god of all beginnings, and of gates, locks, etc. January 
oiDens the gateway of the year. February was named 
in honor of Februus, a Roman deity in whose honor 
lustrations or ceremonial purifications were performed 
during this period of the year. March was named in 
honor of Mars, and according to the Roman calendar, 
was the first month of the year. April, from the Latin 
Aprilis, from aperio, open. Hence, the opening period 
of the year. May was named in honor of Maia, god- 
dess of growth. June is from the Roman name 
Junius. July was so named in honor of Julius Caesar. 
August was named by the Roman emperor, Augustus 
Caesar, in his own honor. September, October, Novem- 
ber, and December, from the Latin numerals septem 
meaning seven, octo meaning eight, novem meaning 
nine, and decern meaning ten, were the seventh, 
eighth, ninth, and tenth inonths of the Roman calendar 
respectively. 

Moon. By the ancients the moon was called Hecate be- 
fore rising and after setting ; Astarte wlien appearing as 
a crescent, and Diana when full. See Luna. 



MORPHEUS — MUSEIA 



143 



Horplieus (mor^fe-us). While Somnus is the god of 
sleep, Morpheus is the god of dreams. Morpheus was 
assisted by Icelus in shaping dreams that had all the 
appearance of reality ; by Phobeter in fashioning those 
that were filled with dread and alarm ; and by Phantasus 
in framing tliose that were strange, fanciful, deceptive, 
and unreal. Oneirus was a personification of dreams of 
whatever sort. These dreams were kept in a splendid 
palace of the Western Oceanus. Those of a prophetic 
character issued from the Horn Gate ; those of a light, 
fanciful, or unreal character from the Ivory Gate. \ 

Mors. God of death, and son of Nox, or Nyx ( Night. ^ 
He was twin-brother of Somnus (Sleep.) By some he 
was regarded as the son of Earth and Tartarus. Some 
authorities regard Thanatas and Mors as identical, others 
regard the former as a more benignant deity, and death 
as but the transition from life to Elysium. 

Hosyclilos (mo-sik'los) . The mountain in Lemnos upon 
which Vulcan fell from heaven. 

Hountain. See Atlas, Nymph, Olympus, Helicon. 

JWulciber (mul'si-ber) or Mulcifer. Same as Vulcan, 
the smelter of metals. 

muniii (moon'in). The Norse god of memory. 

musagetes (mu-saj'e-tez). A name given to Apollo as 
leader of the choir of the Muses. 

Ifluscarius (mus-ca'ri-us). A name applied to Jupiter 
because he kept the flies from the sacrifices. 

Museia (mu-se'ya). Contests associated with the wor- 
ship of the Muses celebrated in a grove on Mount 
Helicon. 



144 MUSES — KAP^^ 

muses or Musse. Goddesses who presided over poetry, 
music, dancing, and all the liberal arts. They were 
daughters of Jupiter and Mnemosyne, nine in number, 
and were born at Piesia. They were often called Pierides, 
and were regarded as nymphs of the springs whose 
waters flowed gently down the sides of Mount Helicon 
and Parnassus. See Sapplio. 

music. See Apollo, Pan, Midas, Muses, Euterpe, Flute, 
Lyra, Lyre. 

Myrmidons (mer'mi-dunz). The soldiers of Achilles 
who were led by Patroclus. Hence, in modern times, 
any rough character who executes the commands of his 
leader or master without question or scruple. 

Myrrlia (mir'ra). The being w^hom Venus transformed 
into a myrtle tree. 

Iflyrtilus (mer-tflus). The charioteer of (Enomaus, who 
was bribed by Hippodamia to take a spoke out of the 
wheel of his master's chariot in order that Pelops might 
win the race and secure the hand of Hippodamia, his 
master's daughter. 

myrtle. See Attis, Myrrha. 

HEytUras. The Egyptian Apollo. 

IVaiads (na'yads). Beautiful nymphs in Imman form 
who presided over springs, fountains, and wells. 

Nandi. The Hindoo goddess of joy. 

IVapaeae (na-pe'e). Nymphs of the valleys who looked 
after the flocks. 



NAKR^ NAUPLIUS 



145 



]¥arraB (nar're). The Hades of the Hindoos. 

Narci§su§ (nar-sis'us). A beautiful youth, son of Ce- 
phisus and the nymph Liriope. Seeing his image 
reflected in a fountain, and supposing it to be the nymph 
of the place, he fell in love with it. Every token of his 
love was reflected in the pool until Narcissus felt sure 
that his passion was fully reciprocated, but in his eager- 
ness to clasp the beautiful creature in his arms he 
disturbed the mirror-like surface of the water, and she 
fled from his sight. Hoping she would return, he waited 
patiently until her fears had subsided, when he again 
ventured to peer cautiously over the edge of the low 
bank. Again the nymph returned with caution, but 
with eyes love-laden, and when Narcissus ventured to 
address her, he saw her lips part as if to answer, and her 
soft glances grow more and more tender, but when he 
again ventured to clasp her to his arms, she again disap- 
peared. Time and again this pantomime was enacted, 
but though she constantly eluded his embrace, the youth 
could not tear himself away from the spot, and finally 
died. The gods gazed compassionately upon the beau- 
tiful corpse and changed it into the flower Narcissus, 
which has ever since flourished beside quiet pools 
wherein its pale image is clearly reflected. See Echo. 

]Va§traiid (nas'trand). The Scandinavian Hades. 

Bfatio (na'sM-o). A Roman goddess who guarded 
infants. 

Xauplius (naw'pli-us). Son of Neptune and Amymone. 
Nauplius means " shipwrecker." By false lights he led 
many ships to destruction upon the rocks of Argus, and 



146 



NAUSICAA — KEIMESIS 



enriched liimself from their cargoes. By a strange 
fatality he perished in the same way. His mother, 
Amymone, was a beautiful Danaid whom Neptune 
saved from the attack of a Satyr. Nauplius had three 
sons, Palamedes, noted for liis inventive genius ; Oiax, 
the Steersman ; and Nausiniedon, the ship-captain. 

Xaiisieaa (nau-sik a-a). Daughter of Alcinous and 
Arete. Strolling along tlie coast one day, she discovered 
Ulysses who, wearied with the exertion of swimming 
from the raft which Neptune in his anger liad destroyed, 
had just reacJied the shore. She conducted him to lier 
father, the king, who kindly sent him to his home in 
Ithaca. 

Xaxos (nax'os). An island visited by Theseus and 
Bacchus. 

Xectar. A beverage of the gods, poured out by Hebe 
and Ganymede. 

Needlework. See Aracline, Minerva. 

Xeleiis (ne-le'us). Son of Neptune, father of Nestor, and 
brother of Peleus who sent out the Argonauts. 

Xemea (ne'me-a). A forest in Greece devastated by the 
Nemean Lion which Hercules slew. See Hercules. 

Xemeaii Oaiiie§. See Games. 

Xemesia (ne-me'shi-a). Special festivals lield annually 
in Athens and in Smyrna to conciliate Nemesis. 

Nemesis (nem^e-sis). Goddess of vengeance, daughter 
of Nox, and by some she is regarded as one of the 
Parcae. She constantly sought for and punished crime 



NEOPTOLEMUS — NEPTUNE 



147 



with great severity. She was also regarded as the 
goddess of justice. By some writers she is referred to 
under the names of Adrastia, and Rhamnusia. The 
Romans, to signify that they never took up arms except 
in the cause of justice always sacrificed to Nemesis before 
going to war. She is often pictured with a wheel, to 
denote the swiftness of her punishment, also with a 
yoke, a bridle, a lash, and a sword. See Poena. 

Neoptolemiis (ne-op-tol'e-mus). Son of Achilles and 
slayer of Priam. Sometimes called Pyrrhus. 

IVeplialia (ne-fa'li-a) . Grecian festivals in honor of 
Mnemosyne. 

Nepliele (nefe-le). Wife of Athamas, and mother of 
Phryxus and Helle. 

Neptune, One of the Olympian gods, son of Saturn and 
Ops, and brother to Jupiter and Pluto. He was swal- 
lowed by liis father at his birth but was restored again, 
and shared with his brothers the empire of Saturn, 
receiving as his portion the kingdom of the sea. Being 
dissatisfied with his share, he conspired with Pluto to 
dethrone Jupiter, who had taken for his portion the em- 
pire of heaven and earth. The conspiracy was discov- 
ered, and Jupiter condemned Neptune to build the walls 
of Troy. In this he was assisted by Apollo. In his dis- 
putes with the gods and goddesses, he was frequently de- 
feated, and in revenge he would cause the rivers to over- 
flow their banks, the sea to inundate the land, or huge 
monsters of the deep to devastate the country. Neptune 
married Amphitrite, who bore him a son named Triton. 
He was also father of Polyphemus, Phorcus, and Proteus. 



148 



NEREIDES — NESSUS 



Although he was god of the sea, he is reputed to have 
presided over horse-racing and the training of horses. 
The double function was portraj'ed in the sea-horses 
which drew his chariot, these animals combining the 
head and body of a horse and the tail of a dolphin. 
Ships w-ere also under his protection. At his presence 
the ocean always became calm. His scepter was a 
trident. See Consualia. 

]Vereide§ (ne-re i-dez). Sea-nymphs, daughters of 
Nereus and Doris. Most authorities make their number 
fifty, but some say there were a hundred. They are 
represented as young and beautiful maidens riding on the 
backs of dolphins and armed with tridents. They at- 
tended constantly upon Neptune. The poets represent 

' them as living in a beautiful cave at the bottom of the 
sea, now playing in the warm sunshine on the shore, 
now drying their wet tresses on the banks of the rivers. 
These divinities doubtless suggested the modern mer- 
maid. 

Bfereiis (ne're-us) . Son of Pontus and Gaea, and husband 
of Doris. He was a sea-god subject to Neptune, but pre- 
sided over the milder aspects of the sea. He liad the 
gift of prophecy, foretold fates, and had the power to 
assume various forms, and thus escaped the importuni- 
ties of" those wishing to consult him. 

IVesaee (ne-se'e). One of the Nereides who personified 
the mad rush of the waves on the shores and islands. 

Nessus, The Centaur slain by Hercules for insulting 
Deianira. Nessus' blood-stained robe caused Hercules' 
death. See Hercules, 



NESTOR — NILUS 



149 



Mestor, Son of Neleiis and Cliloris, and grandson of 
Neptune. He was present at the battle between the 
Centaurs and the Lapithse upon the occasion of the wed- 
ding-feast of Pirithous. He distinguished himself in the 
Trojan war, and was regarded by Homer as the most 
perfect cliaracter among all the Greek heroes. He lived 
to a very great age, and his reputation for prudence and 
wisdom made his counsel to be much sought after. 

Neverila (ne-ver'i-ta). A sea-goddess of the Romans. 

]Vice(ni se). An attendant of Jupiter. Same as Victory. 

l^icepliorus (ni-sef'o-rus). Jupiter as tlie bearer of 
Victory. 

Nidliu|i^ (nid'hoog). The Scandinavian dragon inhabit- 
ing Nastrond. 

I^iniieim (nifl'hime). The Scandinavian hell, supposed 
to consist of nine vast regions of ice beneath the North 
Pole, where darkness reigns perpetually. 

]\ii|^lit. See Nox. 

Bfig^litingale. See Philomela. 

IViglitmare. See Incubus. 

j^ike (ni'ke). Goddess of Victory. Daughter of the 
giant Pallas and the nymph Styx. Constant compaji- 
ion of Jupiter and Minerva. Same as Nice, Victoria, 
Victory. 

]Vilu§ (ni'lus). King of Thebes. The river Nile was 
named in his honor. 



160 



NIOBE — KOTtJS 



Xiobc (nio-be). Daughter of Tantalus, the Lydian 
king. She is the personification of grief. She married 
Amphion, and, according to Hesiod, they had ten sons 
and ten daughters ; some authorities say seven sons and 
seven daughters, all exceedingly beautiful. Latona, 
mother of Apollo and Diana, boasted that no children 
were equal to hers in beauty, intelligence and power. 
Niobe taunted Latona for having but two, while she 
could boast of a large number, equally beautiful. Of- 
fended at this, Latona commanded Apollo to destroy 
all of Niobe's sons, and, before her grief had subsided, 
Diana was commanded by her mother to destroy all of 
Niobe's daughters. The gods, touched with pity, turned 
Niobe into a statue of stone. So intense was her grief 
that during the summer-time tears still flowed down her 
marble cheeks. 

^isu§ (ni'sus). The youtli who accompanied Euryalus 
to summon ^neas back to camp. 

IVoinan (no'man). A name assumed by Ulysses to mis- 
lead Polyphemus. 

Xomiii»^ (no'mi-us). A lawgiver; a surname given to 
the divinities that protect pastures and shepherds. Tlie 
name is sometimes applied to Apollo as patron god of 
herdsmen, and to Mercury for the share he had in the 
making of beneficent laws. 

Xoriis, Tln*ee Scandinavian goddesses who wove the 
woof of human destiny. 

]Votu§. The South Wind, son of ^olus and Aurora. 
Same as Auster. 



NOX — NYMPHS 



161 



]¥ox. Daughter of Chaos and wife of Erebus. She per- 
sonified night, and was the mother of Nemesis and the 
Fates, and, according to some, of the Parcse, Hesperides, 
Dreams, and Death. Same as Nyx. 

I^nndiiia (nun'di-na). The goddess who took charge of 
children when they were nine days old — tlie day upon 
which the Roman children were named. 

Niiptialis (nup-shi-alis). A name of Juno as the god- 
dess of marriage. When the victim was sacrificed at 
the wedding-feast, the gall was taken out and cast be- 
hind the altar, signifying that no gall, or bitterness, or 
anger should arise between the wedded pair. 

Nuriel, The Hebrew god of hailstorms. 
Nurse. See Cynosura, Almathea, Nysce, Opheltes. 
B^yctelillS (nik-te'li-us). A name of Bacchus, because 

his festivals were usually celebrated by torchlight. 
Nycteus (nik'te-us). Antiope, mother of the Theban 

brothers, was tlie daughter of the river-god Asopus. 

According to other traditions, she was the daughter of 

Thebe and Nycteus. The name signifies "the dark and 

stormy.'' 

Nymplis or Nymphse. A general name for a class of 
female deities who were attendants upon the gods and 
goddesses. These occupied a middle place between gods 
and men. Sanctuaries, called Nymphsea, were erected 
in their special honor, and sacrifices of goats, lambs, 
milk, and oil, were presented. Wine was forbidden. 
There were two general classes : land nymphs and water 
nymphs. The Dryads, or Hamadryads, or Alseids, were 
nymphs of woods and trees. They inhabited groves, 



152 



NYS^— CANNES 



ravines, and wooded valleys, and sometimes appeared as 
rustic shepherdesses or huntresses. The Oreads were 
mountain i]yni[)hs, and often took special names from 
the particular mountains they inhabited. The Limoniads 
were nymplis of meadows and flowers. The Napaeae, or 
Auloniads, were nymplis of the mountain vales in which 
herds grazed. 

The Oceanids, daughters of Oceanus, were nymphs of 
fountains and streams. They took individual names ac- 
cording to tlie special characteristic of the fountain or 
stream which they represented. The Potamids were 
river nymphs. The Limnads were nymphs of lakes, 
marshes and swamps. The Nereids, Naiads, Pleiads, At- 
lantids, and Hyads, or Dodoniids had their peculiar offices. 
Some were special attendants upon the gods, and as- 
sisted them in their duties. 

IX^sae (ni'se). A name applied to the nymph who nursed 
Bacchus. Same as Nysiades. 

Xysaeus (n -se'us). A name of Bacchus, because he was 
worshiped at Nysa, a town of Ethiopia. 

IVysus (ni'sus). King of Megara. He liad a charmed 
lock of hair which rendered him invisible. His daughter 
Scylla cut off this lock and thus betrayed him to liis 
enemies. She was clianged into a lark, and her father 
into a hawk, and he still pursues her to punish her for 
her treacher3^ 

Oak. See Baucis. Trees, Erysichtlion. 

Oaiiiie!« (o-an nez). A Babylonish god, lialf man. lialf- 
fish. During the day he was employed in teaching men 



OATH — ODIN 



153 



the use of letters, at night he retired to the depths of the 
seas. See Letters. 

Oatli. See Lapis, Tyndareus. 

Ocean. See Neptune. 

Oceaiiides (o-ce-an'i-dez). Sea-nymphs, daughters of 
Oceanus and Tethys. Some authorities place their 
number at sixteen ; Hesiod, at forty -one ; and Apollo- 
dorus, at three thousand. See Nymphs. 

Oceanus (o-ce'an-us). Son of Coelus and Terra, or of 
Uranus and Gaea. He was father of all the river gods. 
See Oceanides. The nariie was also applied to the sea 
itself. 

Ocridion (o-crid'i-on). King of the Isle of Rhodes. He 
was deified after death. 

Ocrisia (o-crish'i-a). A slave, one of the wives of Vulcan, 
and the reputed mother of Servius Tullius, sixth king of 
Rome. 

October Horse. Chariot races were held at Rome in 
March and October of each year, in honor of Mars, to 
whom the off-horse of the biga that won the October 
race was sacrificed. He was called the October Horse. 

Ocypete (o-sip'e-te). One of the three Harpies who in- 
fected everything she touched. See Harpies. 

Ocyroe (o-sir'o-e). Daughter of Chiron. She possessed 
the gift of prophecy. She was changed into a mare. 

Odin (o'din). Tlie Scandinavian god of tlie universe, 
husband of Friga, and father of all the Scandinavian 



154 



ODYSSEUS — CENOMAUS 



kings. His sons were Thor and Balder. The Wodin of 
the early German tribes. 

Ody§seus (o-dis'se-us). Hero of the Odyssey. Same as 
Ulysses, which see. 

Odysiey (od'i-sy). Epic poetn of Homer relating the 
adventures of Ulysses. 

CEag^rus (e'a-grus). King of Thrace, and some say, 
father of Orpheus. Most authorities make Orpheus the 
son of Apollo. 

<£clipus (ed'i-pus). Son of Laius and Jocaste, king and 
Queen of Thebes. Laius was told by the oracle that he 
would perish by the liand of his son. To prevent the ful- 
filment of this propliecy, CEdipus Avas abandoned to per- 
ish upon a mountain, but the infant was found by the 
shepherds of Polybus, whose wife, Periboea, tenderly 
cared for him and educated him as her own child. After 
he reached manliood, he accidentally met his father, and 
being angered b}^ one of the king's heralds, he slew 
Laius, together with his followers. See Laius, Jocasta, 
Sphinx. 

<Eneu§ (e'ne-us). Father of Meleager and Dejaneira, 
and husband of Althaea. 

CEnomaus (e-nom'a-us). Son of Mars, and king of 
Elis, and father of Hippodamia. He was told by the 
oracle that he would be slain by his son-in-law. His 
daughter, being possessed of unusual beauty, liad many 
suitors. Her father declared that she should become tlie 
bride of the man wlio would defeat him in a chariot race, 
and that all who failed should be slain. After many had 



(ENONE— OIAX 



155 



been defeated, Pelops, son of Tantalus, entered the lists, 
and by large bribes, induced the king's servant to pro- 
vide the king with a damaged chariot. Pelops won the 
race, married Hippodamia, and became king of Pisa, in 
Elis. 

OBiione (e-no'ne). A nymph of Mount Ida. She had 
the gift of prophecy. Paris married her, and afterward 
deserted her for Helen. 

€Ciiopioii (e-no'pi-on). King of Chios, and father of 
Merope. Orion was promised Merope in marriage, on 
condition that he won her b}" the performance of some 
heroic deed. Being a fickle youth, lie was unwilling to 
abide by CEnopion's wishes, but sought to abduct his 
daughter. For this he was punished not only by the loss 
of his bride, but also of his sight. By the aid of one of 
the Cyclops wlio led him to the Sun, his sight was again 
restored. Being fond of hunting, he met Diana in the 
forest, and a warm affection soon sprang up between 
them. Apollo viewed their attachment with disfavor, 
and, by deception, led Diana innocently to slay Orion. 
When she discovered what she had done, she vowed 
never to forget him, and placed him and his faithful 
dog Sirius as constellations in the sky. 

<Eta (eta). A mountain on whose summit Hercules 
built his funeral pyre. See Hercules. 

Og^y§^ia (o-jij'i-a). The island in the Mediterranean on 
which Ulysses was shipwrecked, and where Calypso de- 
tained him seven years. 

Oiax. See Nauplius. / 



156 



OICLES — OMOPHAGIA 



Oicles (o i-clez). Father of Ampliiaraus. He took part 
in the first war against Troy. 

Oil. See Aristceus. 

Oileiis (o-il e-us). See Ajax, 

Ointment. See Pliaon. 

Olenns (ol'e-nus). Son of Vulcan, who married Lathsea. 
For thinking herself more beautiful than the goddesses, 
Lathaea and her husband were turned into stone statues. 

Olives. See Aristceus. 

Olympia (o-lim pi-a). A city in Elis, celebrated for its 
temple and games. 

Olympiads (o-lim'pi-adz) . Periods of five years, the 
time between the Olympian Games. Some authorities 
say four years. 

Olympian Oames. See Games. 

Olympius (o-lim'pi-us). A name of Jupiter, from Olym- 
pia, where the god had a splendid temple, whicli was one 
of the Seven Wonders of the World. 

Olympus (o-lim'pus). A mountain in Thessaly whose 
top touched the heavens. Here the gods resided, and 
here Jupiter held his court. There were smaller moun- 
tains of the same name. 

Olyras (o-li-ras). A river near Thermopylae. It is said 
this river was moved to extinguish the flames of Her- 
cules' funeral pyre. 

Omophagia (om-o-fa'ji-a). A feast of Bacchus at \vhich 
raw meats w^ere served. 



OMPHALE — OPS 



157 



Oinpliale (om'fa-le). Daughter of Jardanus, and queen 
of Lydia. Hercules, for slaying Eurytus, was sold as a 
slave, and was purchased by Omphale, who set him free. 
He wooed her, and she reciprocated his passion. The 
poets represent him sitting and spinning at her side as 
she sat surrounded by her women, while she robed her- 
self in his lion's skin and armed herself with his club. 

Oiiaru§ (on'a-rus). A priest of Bacchus who married 
Ariadne after Theseus had deserted her. 

Oiieiropompu§ (o-ni-ro-pom'pus). A name applied to 
Mercury as the guide of dreams. Same as Oneicopom- 
pus. 

Oiieirufii (o-ni'rus). See Morpheus, 

Oniiiia (o-nu'na). The Venus of the ancient Gauls. 

Opalia (o-pa'li-a). Festivals in honor of Ops, held in 
Rome on the 14th of January. 

Opheltes (o-fel'tez). The child of Lycurgus, who was 
nursed by Hypsipyle. 

Opiale-rod. See Cacluceus. 

Ops. The origin of this goddess is in doubt. Some my- 
thologists identify Saturn with Cronus, and regard Ops 
as the wife, she being identified with Rhea, or Cybile. 
Others regard Saturn and Cronus as distinct divinities, 
and make Rhea the wife of Cronus, and Ops the wife of 
Saturn. Ops was known by several names, the principal 
being Cybele, Rhea, Bona Dea, Magna Mater, Tellus, 
Thya, and Proserpine. She was the Roman goddess of 
plenty. See Opalia. 



158 



ORACLES— ORPHANS 



Oracles (or'a-k'lz). See Themis, CEdipiis, Halcyone,Cas- 
sandra, Nereus, Deiphobe, Proteus, Trophonius, Orion, 

Oraea (o-re'a). Sacrifices offered to the goddesses of the 
seasons in order to secure fair weather for the ripening 
fruits. 

Orboiia (or-bo'na). Roman goddesses of children, espe- 
cially of orphans. 

Orchards. See Feronia, Pomona, Vertnmnus. 

Oreades (o-re'a-dez). Attendants on Diana. See Nymphs. 

Orestfes (o-res'tez). See Pylades, Clytemnestra. 

Orgies (or'-jiz). The riotous feasts of Bacchus, hence 
any drunken revel. 

Orion (o-ri'on). A handsom-e hunter, but lacking in 
daring. He was made blind by CEnopion. restored by 
the aid of the oracle, beloved, and afterwards slain by 
Diana. See CEnopion. 

Oritliyia (or-i-thi ya). Daughter of Erectheus. Boreas, 
who loved her, carried her off to his regions of snow and 
ice, where he made her his wife. She became the mother 
of Zetes and Calais, who took part in the Argonautic ex- 
pedition, and drove away tlie Harpies. She also had 
two daughters, Cleopatra and Chione. See Jason, 
Golden Fleece. 

Ormuzd (or'miizd). The Persian creator of all things. 
Oros (o'ros). The Egyptian Apollo. 
Orphans. See Orboaa, Children, 



OHPHEUS— OTtJS 



159 



Orpheus (or'fe-us). Son of Apollo and Calliope. He 
played on the lute in such a masterly way that the 
rivers ceased to flow and the wild beasts became tame. 
Eurydice, his wife, died from the bite of a serpent. Pluto 
was so moved by Orpheus' grief and so enraptured with 
his music that he suffered him to bring Eurydice out of 
Hades on condition tliat he must not look at her until he 
had passed out of the dark portal. Orpheus agreed, but 
upon nearing the exit, he forgot his promise, and Eury- 
dice immediately vanished. He afterward excluded 
himself from the society of mankind. The Tliracian 
women, in the midst of their Bacclianalian revels, took 
offense at his coldness, and tore him to pieces, th'rowing 
his head into the Hebrus. His lute floated down the 
river to the sea, and was carried to the island of Lesbos, 

. which became celebrated for its poets and musicians. 
See Strymon. 

0§etioplioria (os-co-fo'ri-a). A festival to Bacchus, insti- 
tuted by Theseus at Athens. 

Osiri§ (o-si'ris). The Egyptian god of the sun. He was 
worshiped under the form of a sacred bull called Apis. 

Ossa, A mountain in Thessaly, once the residence of the 
Centaurs. These giants piled Ossa on the top of Mount 
Pelion, to enable them to reach heaven and attack the 
gods. 

Otlirys (o'thris). The mountain occupied by the Titans 
in their war with the gods who were intrenched on 
Olympus. 

Otus (o'tus). A giant son of Neptune, slain by Apollo 
and Diana. 



160 



OWL-^PALLADIUM 



Owl. See ^sciilapius, Itys, Polyphonte, Ascalaphus. 
Ox. See Apis. 

Pactolu§ (pac-tolus). A celebrated river in Lydia in 
which Midas washed to remoA^e the curse of liaving 
everything turn to gold that he touched. See Midas. 

Paean (pe'an) . A surname of Apollo, from paean, a 
hymn or song which was sung in his honor for having 
slain the Python. 

Palaemon (pa-le'mon). Melicertes and his mother, Ino, 
w^ere thrown by his father, Athamas, into the sea, and 
w^ere drowned. According to others, slie cast herself 
into the sea. Under the name of Leucothea, she became 
a marine deity, and was worsliiped as the protector of 
travelers by sea. The son, under the name of Palsemon, 
Avas worshiped as the god of harbors. 

Palamedes (pal-a-me'dez). Son of Nauplius, the ship- 
wrecker. He was sent to summon Ulysses to the war 
against Troy. He is credited with the invention of the 
games of dice, backgammon, and other games. 

Pales (pa'lez). Goddess of shepherds and protectress of 
flocks. Her festivals were called Palilia. 

Paliiiiirus (pal-i-nu'rus). JEneas's pilot who was lost at 
sea off Cape Misenum. 

Palladium (pal-la di-um). A noted statue of Minerva. 
Various accounts are given of its origin. Some say it 
fell from heaven near the tent of Ilus as he was building 
the citadel of Ilium ; others that it fell in Phrygia ; 



PALLANTIDES — PAN 



161 



others that Dardanus received it as a present from liis 
mother, Electra. On its preservation the fate of Troy 
depended. The Greeks were greatly rejoiced when tliey 
obtained possession of it. 

Pallanticles (pal-lan'ti-dez). The name given to the 
fifty giants, sons of Pallas, uncle of Theseus. 

Pallas. A name given to Minerva when she destroyed 
the famous giant Pallas. The Greek goddess of wisdom 
was Pallas Athene. See Minerva. Pallas was also the 
name of a son of Evander. He was slain by Turnus 
while fighting for ^neas. A giant named Pallas was 
father of Nike, goddess of Victory. 

Pallor. A lover of strife, and special attendant of 
Mars. 

Pan. The god of shepherds, huntsmen, and rural folk. 
He is generally regarded as chief of the inferior deities, 
and from Arcadia, where his worship began, it soon 
spread all over Greece. His parentage is somewhat in 
doubt. Some say he was the son of Mercury and Cal- 
listo ; others, of Mercury and Penelope ; and still others, 
of Jupiter and one of the Nymphs. In appearance he 
was a monster, but in disposition he was kind and 
gentle. He had the legs, thighs, feet, tail, ears, and 
liorns of a goat, and his body was covered with goat's 
hair. The Gauls, when invading Greece, were so 
frightened at tlie siglit of Pan that they fled, though no 
one pursued. This gave rise to the expression "panic 
fear." The Fauns and Satyrs greatly resembled Pan, 
and served as his attendants. He was excessively fond 
of music and dancing, and of the pretty Nymphs of the 

TI 



162 



PANATHEK^A — PANDORA 



wood. He once pursued the beautiful Syrinx, who, 
frightened at liis apj)earance, precipitately fled. Just as 
she was overtaken, she breathed a prayer to Gsea for 
protection, and was instantly changed into a clump of 
reeds, which the panting lover embraced, thinking he 
liad cauglit the maiden. He breathed a prolonged sigh 
of disappointment, which, passing through the reeds, 
produced sweet plaintive tones. He immediately took 
seven pieces of the reeds and formed them into a musi- 
cal instrument, which, in honor of his lost love, was 
called a Syrinx. He once challenged Apollo to a musi- 
cal contest, and won tlie prize, Midas being the judge. 
(See Midas.) Under the name of Hylseus he was wor- 
shiped as a forest god. By the Romans he was sometimes 
called Innuus, because he taught them how to breed 
cattle ; and sometimes Lupercus, because he instructed 
them to employ dogs to protect their herds from the 
wolves. 

Paiiatlieiiaea (pan-ath"e-ne'a). An unusual festival held 
at Athens in honor of Minerva. 

Paiiclareiis (pan-da^re-us). His daughters were carried 
off by the Harpies. 

Paiidioii (pan-dfon). Father of Erectheus, king of 
Attica. With the latter the dynasty of the Cecrop line 
came to an end, and passed over to Ion, ancestor of the 
Ionian race. Pandion's daughters were Procne and 
Philomela. 

Pandora (pan-do'ra). Hesiod, one of the earliest 

writers, declares that she was the first mortal woman. 
Vulcan made her of clay and gave her life ; Venus gave 



PANISCI — PANOPE 



163 



her beauty ; the Graces bestowed upon her their own 
arts of captivating ; Apollo instructed her in music ; 
and Mercury taught her eloquence. She married Epime- 
theus, brother to Prometheus. Jupiter having punished 
Prometheus for bestowing u])on man the " fire of the im- 
mortals," now proposed to avenge himself upon man for 
receiving the gift. Accordingly he sent his servant 
Mercury, with a curious box, which he at once took to 
the home of Epimetheus, and begged to leave it with 
him for a short time. Pandora, curious to know what 
the box contained, took advantage of her husband's 
absence, undid the fastenings and raised the lid, when 
out flew all the diseases, vices, crhnes, and sorrows that 
have since afflicted mankind. Upon this, Epimetheus 
reproached his loving spouse for her indiscretion, and 
the first family quarrel ensued. In the midst of his 
reproof a faint whisper was heard coming from the box. 
Epimetheus commanded his wife to again raise the lid, 
saying that she had already entailed so great misery 
upon the ra<"e that it was not possible to add thereto, 
and that probably Jupiter had put some good spirit into 
the bottom of the box. Upon lifting the lid a second 
time, out fluttered Hope, on snowy pin^ions, w^ho imme- 
diately set about relieving the torment and sorrow 
already caused by the other occupants of the box. Thus, 
according to ancient belief, evil entered into the world, 
closely followed by Hope, pointing to a happier future. 

Paiiisci (pan-is'si). See Panes. 

Paiiope (pan'o-pe). Neptune and his wife Doris had 
fifty daughters. Some autliorities make tlie number 
one hundred. These were called Nereides or Dorides. 



164 



PANTHEON — PARIS 



Of these, Amphitrite and Thetis were the most famous, 
and next to them were Panope and Galatea. 

Pantheon (pan'the-on). A celebrated temple at Rome. 
"The all-divine place," "the temple of all the gods," 
built by Agrippa B. c. 27. It was circular in form, 144 
feet in diameter, and 144 feet high, and was in the 
Corinthian style of architecture. Pliny ranked it among 
the wonders of the world. 

Panther. See Mater Turrita. 

Paphia (pa'fi-a) . A name of Venus. See Pajphus. 

Paphns (pa'fus). Son of Pygmalion and the statue into 
which Venus had breathed the breath of life. See Pyg- 
malion. 

Papreini§ (pa-pre'mis) . The Egyptian Mars. 

Parcae (par'se). The Fates, three powerful goddesses 
who presided over the birth and life of human beings. 
See Fates. 

Paris. Son of Priam, king of Troy. His mother was 
Hecuba. It had been foretold before his birth that he 
would cause the ruin of his country. His mother had 
also dreamed that she had given birth to a child who 
had set fire to the palace. His father therefore ordered 
that he should be strangled as soon as he was born, but 
the slave to whom this unpleasant duty had been as- 
signed, carried the infant to Mount Ida, where some 
shepherds found him, and cared for him. He married 
the nymph QEnone. At the celebrated nuptial feast of 
Peleus and Thetis, Paris was made umpire to decide who 
was the handsomest among the goddesses present. The 



PAENASSIDES — PAETHEKITJM 



165 



prize was a golden apple (see Discordia). The contest- 
ants were finally reduced to three. Juno tried to bribe 
him by offering him power ; Minerva offered him wis- 
dom, and Venus promised him the most beautiful woman 
in the world. Venus received the prize ; and as Helen, 
wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta, enjoyed that distinc- 
tion, Priam, who now acknowledged Paris as bis son, 
sent him to fetch her. The abduction of Helen by 
Paris occasioned the famous war between the Greeks 
and Trojans, w^hich ended in the destruction of Troy 
and 676,000 of her citizens, including Paris. 

Parisassides. A name applied to the Muses, from 
Mount Parnassus. 

Pariia§siis (par-nas'sus) . A mountain in Phocis, sacred 
to the Muses and to Apollo and Bacchus. It was named 
after one of the sons of Bacchus. Some say, after a son 
of Neptune. Any one who slept on this mountain be- 
came a poet. See Deucalion. 

Partlieiiia (par-the'ni-a). Juno as a bride was named 
Parthenia ; as a wife, Zygia, or Teleia ; as helpful at 
childbirth, Eileithyia. The latter title is, by some, ap- 
plied to Diana. 

Parllienium (par-the'ni-um). The name of the moun- 
tain upon which the king of Arcadia exposed to the 
fury of wild beasts his infant daughter Atalanta, be- 
cause of his disappointment and anger, for he had lioped 
that his child might be a son. Some liunters, passing 
by, found her fearlessly nursing from a she- bear. They 
took her home, kindly cared for her, and trained her to 
the chase. 



166 



PAETHENOPE — PEACE 



Partlieiiope (par-then'o-pe). Ligeia, Leiicosia, and 
Partlienope were the three most famous sirens, half bu'd 
and half woman in form, and were represented as play- 
ing upon a double flute. 

Partlieiiopaeus (par"tlien-o-pe us). Son of Atalanta 
and Melanion. He was prominent in the expedition 
against Thebes. 

Partlieiioii (par'the-non). A temple of Athens sacred 
to Minerva, and the most beautiful building of anti- 
quity. It stood on the Acropolis, was destroyed by the 
Persians, and rebuilt by Pericles. Its ruins are still 
standing. 

Partlieiios (par'the-nos). A name applied to Juno; 
also to Minerva. 

Pa§ipliae (pa-sif 'a-e). Daughter of Helios and Perseis. 
She married Minos, king of Crete, and became mother 
of the Minotaur, slain by Theseus. 

Pasitliea (pa-sith'e-a). While the Graces are usually 
spoken of as three in number, Homer mentions a wiiole 
race of them, the youngest being Pasithea. Another 
version makes Aglsea, or Aglaia, the youngest. The 
name is also applied to one of the Nereides. 

Pastoral Poetry. See Thalia. 

Patroclus (pat'ro-clus). A friend of Achilles. He was 
slain by Hector. 

Pavan. The Hindoo god of the winds. 

Pax. Same as Eirene, or Irene, which see. 

Peace. See Concordia, Eirene, Freyr, Pax. 



PEACOCK — PELIAS 



167 



Peacock. See Argus. 

Pegasus (peg'a-sus) . The winged horse born of Neptune 
and Medusa. According to another version, Pegasus 
was the product of the sea-foam mingled with the blood 
of Medusa. He dwelt on Mount Helicon. One day he 
struck the ground with his hoof which caused water to 
spring forth. This fountain was called Hippocrene. 
After Bellerophon's failure to ride Pegasus to the top of 
Olympus, Jupiter gave the winged steed to Aurora. 

Peireiie (pi-re'ne). A famous fountain at Corinth at 
which the winged steed Pegasus halted to drink. 

Peritlious (pe-rith'o-us). Ixion and Perithous were the 
two most prominent figures among the Lapitho3 of 
Thessaly. 

Peitho (pi tho). A name applied to Venus as the per- 
sonification of *' the soft speech of love." Same as Sua- 
dela, or Suada. 

Peleus (pe'le-us). King of Thessaly. Son of ^acus and 
Endeis. The latter was the daughter of Chiron. Peleus 
married Thetis. This is said to be the only marriage 
between a mortal and an immortal. See Discordia^ Paris. 

Peliades (pe-li'a-dez). A name applied to the Oreads, 
or mountain nymphs. 

Pelias (pe'li-as). Son of Neptune and Tyro. Afterward 
Tyro married Cretheus, King of lolchos. ^son was the 
eldest of their three children. After the death of Cre- 
theus, Pelias visited his motlier and usurped the place 
tbat properly belonged to JEson. Jason, tlie son of 
^son, who had been educated by Chiron, on attaining 



168 



PELION — PENELOPE 



manhood, demanded the kingdom of his deceased father. 
Pelias by false promises, and by appeals to his courage 
and heroism, sent Jason on the Argonautic expedition. 
Pelias met a cruel death at the hands of liis daughters 
through the craftiness of Medea. See Jason. The spear 
of Achilles was called Pelias. It was so heavy that none 
could wield it but himself. 

Pelioii (pe'li-on). Sometimes called Pellos. A well- 
wooded mountain of Thessaly, the scene of the famous 
wars between the giants and the gods. Also the abode 
of the Centaurs wlio were expelled by the Lapithae. See 
Ossa. Also the name of a son of Peleus. His name is 
pronounced Pe-li'on. 

Pelops (pe'lops). Son of Tantalus, King of Phrygia, a 
cruel monster who slew and served up Pelops, to feed 
his guests, the gods and goddesses, but the deception 
failed. The gods sent Tantalus to Tartarus for punish- 
ment, and Pelops was restored to life. He afterward 
won Hippodamia in a chariot race, and married her. 
See Tantalus, Myrtilus. 

Penates (pe-na'tez). Inferior Roman deities who pre- 
sided over the domestic affairs of families. The liearth 
was their altar. See Lares. 

Peiieis (pe-ne'is) . One of the principal river gods, father 
of Daphne, whom he clianges into a laurel. Same as 
Penehis and Peneus. Also the name of a river in Greece. 

Penelope (pe-nel'o-pe). The faithful wife of Ulysses 
and daughter of Icarius. She was the mother of Tele- 
machus. When Ulysses failed to return at the close of 
the Trojan war, many suitors sought her hand, telling her ' 



PENTHESILEA — PEKSEUS 



169 



that her husband was dead. For twenty years she kept 
them at bay, and was at last rewarded by the return of 
Ulysses. The accounts given of her differ widely. 

Pentlie§ilea (pen^'the-si-le'a). Queen of the Amazons. 
She was slain in the Trojan war. 

Peiitheu§ (pen'the-us). King of Thebes. He refused 
to receive Bacchus, and was slain. 

Pepliredo (pe-fre'do). One of the three Grsese. The 
name means dread. 

Perdix, A nephew of Daedalus who, jealous of the 
yoang man's skill, cast him from the top of the Acropo- 
lis, but Minerva changed him into a partridge and saved 
his life. He ever after avoided lofty flights and high 
places. 

Periclymenus (per-i-clim'e-nus). A strange being who 
had the power to assume any form he pleased. Hercules, 
with the assistance of Minerva, slew him. 

Peripketes (per-i-fe'tez). Son of Vulcan slain by The- 
seus. 

Per§eis (per-se'is). Wife of the sungod, Helios, and 
mother of Pasiphae, wife of Minos. 

Persephone (per-sef o-ne) . The Greek name of Proser- 
pine. 

Per§es (per'sez). Husband of Asteria (starry-night) 
and, some writers say, father of Hecate. 

Perseu§ (per'se-iis). Son of Jupiter and Danae, the 
daughter of Acrisius. The oracle had foretold that 
Acrisius should perish by the hand of his daughter's off- 



170 



PERSUASION — PHAETON 



spring. To prevent this, Perseus and his mother were 
both placed in an empty cask and set adrift in the sea. 
They drifted to tlie island of Seriphos, and were received 
kindly by Pulydectes, the king. Perseus grew up a 
handsome and chivalrous young man. The king desired 
to wed his mother, but she repelled his advances. Perseus 
boasted that no one should force his mother to do what 
she did not wish. The king taunted him as an idle 
braggart, and told him to prove his courage by bringing 
tlie head of Medusa, which Perseus essayed to do. Pluto 
lent him a lielmet which made the wearer invisible ; 
Minerva, who had been insulted by the Gorgon was>^ 
glad to lend Perseus her buckler, and Mercury supplied 7 \ 
him with wings. Thus equipped he soon accomplished 
his purpose. From the blood of Medusa which dripped 
into the sea, sprang the winged horse Pegasus. In the 
course of his flight he discovered the beautiful Androm- 
eda chained to a rock to be devoured by a sea-monster. 
He slew the terrible creature, and married Andromeda. 
He now hastened to Seriphos, turned Polydectes into 
stone by showing him the Gorgon's head, and later, 
occasioned Acrisius' death by accidentally striking his 
foot with a quoit, and thus fulfilled the oracle. See 
Medusa^ Andromeda, Acrisius. 

Persuasion. See Pitho, Suada, 

Phaedra (fe'dra). Pasiphae bore to Minos two daughters, 

Ariadne and Phaedra. The latter married Theseus. 

Pliaetoii (fae-ton). Son of Apollo and Clymene. 

Ilesiod anil Pausanias say he was tlie son of Cephalus 
and Aurora. ApoUodorus declai'es his parents to have 



PHAETHUSA — PHEME 



171 



been Tithonus and Aurora. Proud and conceited, the 
result of over-indulgence on the j)art of his mother ,1 
Phaeton begged of his father the privilege of driving 
the chariot of the sun for one day. With many mis- 
givings the privilege was granted. By carefully ob- 
serving Apollo's instructions he did quite well for a 
time, but, becoming elated with his success, he grew 
careless. The chariot wheeled out of the proper course, 
and came so near the earth that the fountains v^ere 
dried up, the rivers began to boil, and a part of the 
iiuman race bec ame black in color. The general clamor 
was so great that Jupiter was aroused, and seeing the 
impending calamity, hurled one of his deadliest thunder- 
bolts, killed Phaeton and saved the imperiled world. 
Phaeton fell from the chariot into the river Eridanus. 
See Cygnus, Lampetia. 

Phaelliiisa (fa-e-thu'sa) . See Lampetia. 

Phanta§ii§ (fan'ta-sus). See Morpheus. 

Pliaoii (fa'on). A boatman of Mitylene, in Lesbos. 
Venus, disguised as an old woman, presented him with 
a box of ointment, which rendered him very beautiful, 
and the celebrated poetess, Sappho, became enamored 
of him. The ointment was soon consumed, and Phaon 
returned to his former condition, and Sappho, in despair, 
drowned herself. 

Pheai^aiit. See Itys. 

Pheme (fe'me). The Greek goddess of Fame, or of good 
or bad report. She never sleeps ; is fleet of foot, and is 
always prying into the affairs of others. Wliatevor slie 
sees or hears she whispers to a few persons, then in a 



172 



PHEREPHATE— PHILOMELA 



louder tone to a larger circle, and soon the world is ap- 
prised of her secrets. Same as Fama. 

Plierepliate (fe-ref a-te). Same Proserpine, or Per- 
sephone. 

Plieru§a (fe-roo'sa). Dynamene and Phemsa, nymphs of 
the sea, represented the swell and impulse of its mighty 
waves. 

Pliilaiiimou (fi-lam mon). King of Thrace, and father 
of Thamyris. 

Piiiclia§ (fid i-as). A noted Greek sculptor who made 
statues of the gods. 

Pliilemoii (fi-le'mon). See Baucis. 

Pliiloctetes-Cfil-oc-te tez). Son of Poeas. One of the 
Argonauts. He received from Hercules the arrows 
which had been poisoned in the blood of the Hydra, and 
with them destroyed a large number of the Trojans, 
including Pnris. His adventures were dramatized by 
Sophocles. 

Philomela (fil-o-me'la). Daughter of Pandion, king of 
Athens. Procne. her sister, married Tereus, king of 
Thrace, and grieving over the separation from her sister, 
besought her husband to fetch her. On the way he 
treated Philomela with great cruelty, cutting off her 
tongue, and casting her into a lonely castle, and informed 
Procne that she had died. Procne learned of her hus- 
band's cruelty to her sister, and. in revenge, slew his 
son and served him upon Tereus's table. Tereus then 
drew his sword, and slew both the sisters, whereupon he 
was changed into a hoopoe, Philomela into a nightingale, 



PHILONOE — PHCENICIA 



173 



and Procne into a swallow. Some authorities say Tereus 
cut out Procne's tongue and hid her away so that he 
might marry Philomela. See Procne, Tereus, 

Philoiioe (fi-lon'o-e) . Daughter of lobates, and wife of 
Bellerophon. 

Phineus (fin'e-us). The blind king of Thrace, who, for 
his cruelty to his son, and his contempt for the gods, 
was punished by the Harpies. 

Phlegethoii (fieg'e-thon). A river in the infernal 
regions between whose banks flowed a stream of fire 
instead of water. The intense heat parched and with- 
ered everything on its banks. 

Phlegoii (fle'gon). The term signifies burning. The 
name of one of the four chariot-horses of Sol. 

Plilegyas (fle'ji-as). Son of Mars, and father of Ixion 
and Coronis. He desecrated and plundered the temple 
of Apollo at Delphi, and as a punishment he was sent to 
Hades, and there made to sit with a huge stone suspended 
over his head, which he had reason to fear would fall 
upon him at any moment. 

Phbtoetor (fo-be'tor). The author of alarming dreams ; 
an assistant to Morpheus. 

Pliobos (fo'bos). One of the attendants of Mars. 

Plicebe (fe'be). One of the Titanides. Same as Diana. 

Phoebus (fe'bus). The term signifies light and life. 

One of the names of Apollo. 
Phoenicia (fe-nish'i-a). A province of Asia Minor, 

named after Phoenix. 



1T4 



PHCENIX — PICUMNUS 



Phoenix (fe'nix). Europa had three brothers, Cadmus, 
Phoenix, and Cilix. Jupiter, falling in love with Europa, 
transformed himself into a beautiful white bull, and 
carried her off on his back. The brothers went in search 
of her, but Phoenix and Cilix, becoming weary, settled 
down in Phoenicia and Cilicia respectively, countries 
named in their honor. Cadmus, accompanied by his 
mother, Telephassa, continued the pursuit but failed to 
find Europa. 

Plioci§ (fo'cis). A province in Greece on the Gulf of 
Corinth. 

Pliolus (fo'lus). A centaur who in entertaining Her- 
cules as his guest, incurred the displeasure of the other 
Centaurs, and, in the strife which ensued, lost his life. 

Pliorcus (for^cus) or Pliorcys, or Percys. Son of Nep- 
tune, and father of the Gorgons. Same as Oceanus. 

Plioroiieiis (fo-ro'ne-us). According to the Argive leg- 
ends he was the first man upon the earth, being the off- 
spring of the river-god Oceanus and the nymph Melia. 

Pliryxu§ (frix'us). Sonof Athamas and Nephele. Atha- 
mas ^discarded Nephele, charging her with insanity and 
married Ino, who persecuted Phryxus, and endeaAwed to 
cause his death in order that one of her own children 
might succeed to the throne. See Golden Fleece. 

Physician. See ^sculajnus, Macliaon. 

Picnninus (pi-cum'nus). A rural divinit}' who presided 
over the manuring of land. Called also Sterentius. 
See Pihunnus. 



PICUS— PIMPLA 



175 



Picus (pi'cus). Son of Saturn. He was king of Lati- 
um, married Veni]la, and became father of Fannns. 
While hunting, Circe met him, loved him, and, because 
her love was not requited, changed him into a beautiful 
woodpecker. 

Piericle,^ (pi-er'i-dez). A name of the muses because they 
were born near Pieria, a fountain in Thessaly, or be- 
cause tliey were daughters of Pier us, king of Macedonia. 
They challenged the Muses to a singing contest, and for 
their presumption were changed into magpies. See 
Pier us. 

Pierus (pi'e-rus). A Thracian, father of the Pierides, 
whom he named after the nine Muses See Pierides. 

Pietas (pl'e-tas). The Roman goddess of domestic affec- 
tion. 

Pillar. See Calpe. 

Pillars of Hercules, Two hills on the opposite sides 
of the Strait of Gibraltar, said to have been torn apart 
by Hercules. 

Piliimnus (pi-lum'nus). A rural divinity that presided 
over the grinding of corn. Often called the god of 
bakers. He and his brother Picumnus formed a pair of 
Roman deities whose office was to watch over married 
life. A couch was spread for them at child-birth . Pilum- 
nus. with his club, pilum, used in pounding out grain, 
would drive away all illness from the new-born babe, 
while Picumnus, who had introduced the manuring of 
land, would give the child growth. 

Pimpla. The springs that trickled down the sides of 
Mount Helicon and Mount Parnassus were called Cas- 



176 



PINE TREE— PLEIADES 



talia, Aganappe, Pimpla, or Pimplea. These waters pos- 
sessed tlie property of inspiration, and were presided 
over by the Muses, or Pierides. 

Pine Tree. See, Trees, Atys, Attis. 

Pipe. See Pan, Ladon, 

Pireiie (pi-re'ne). A fountain near Corinth w^here Pega- 
sus drinks. 

Piritlioiis (pi-rith'o-us). Son of Ixion and Dia, the 
daughter of Deioneus, who was king of the Lapithae. 
Pirithous and Theseus became warm friends. WJien 
Pirithous married Hippodamia, Theseus, Hercules, and 
the rest of the Lapithae were invited to the wedding. 
The Centaurs were also invited, and, becoming intoxi- 
cated, attempted to kidnap the beautiful bride. This 
led to the famous fight between the Centaurs and the 
Lapithae, in winch many of the former were slain, and 
the rest only saved their lives by flight. 

Pitlio (pi'tho). Daughter of Mercury and Venus, and 
goddess of persuasion. Same as Suada. 

Piltlieiis (pit'the-us). Noted for his wisdom and virtue, 
which he carefully instilled into the mind of his grand- 
son Theseus. 

Plains. See Maia, 

Plants. See Demagorgon. 

Pleasure. See Frigga, Rembha. 

Pleiades (ple'ya-dez). A general name applied to Electra, 
Alcyone, Celaeus, Maia, Sterope, Taygete, and Merope, 



PLETONE — PODALInroS 



177 



the seven daugliters of Atlas and Pleione, who were 
changed into a constellation. As only six stars are visi- 
ble, the ancients believed that Merope, having married a 
mortal, was ashamed to appear among her sisters who 
had married gods. 

Pleioiie (ple-T'o-ne). See Pleiades, 

Plistlienes (plis'the-nez). See Agamemnon. 

Plenty. See Copia, Metagitnia, Ops, Fortuna, Freyr. 

Plulo. Son of Saturn and Ops. Saturn was king of the 
universe. His cliildren, Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto 
quarreled over the division. As tlie result of the con- 
flict Jupiter fell heir to heaven and earth ; Neptune took 
the sea ; and Pluto was left king of the lower regions, of 
death, and of funerals. He kidnapped Proserpine as slie 
was gathering flowers in the flelds, bore lier away to his 
dark realm, and made her his wife. By the Greeks he 
was called Hades ; by the Romans Orcus, Dis, and Tar- 
tarus, His chief attendant was the three-headed dog 
Cerberus, and surrounding his throne were the Harpies, 
the Furies, and the Eumenides. 

Plutus (plu'tus). Son of Jason and Ceres ; god of riches. 
He is represented as blind and lame ; blind because he so 
often bestows his wealth so injudiciously ; lame because 
fortune comes so slowly. 

Pluviiis (plu'vi-us). A Roman name for Jupiter as god 
of the rain. 

Podaliriu§ (pod-a-lir'i-us) . A celebrated surgeon ; son 
of JEsculapius and Epione. His medical skill made him 
of great service in the Trojan war. 

12 



178 



POD A RCES — POLLUX 



Podarces (po-dar'sez). Same as Priam. "When in the 
siege of Troy, Laomedon, the king, and his sons were 
slain, Podarces, at the earnest entreaty of Hesione, his 
sister, was spared. Podarces assumed the name of 
Priamus, and, after the withdrawal of Hercules and his 
forces, established a new dynasty in Troy. 

Podarge (po-dar'je). See Harpies. 

Poena (pe'na). Nemesis, who was a terror to evil-doers, 
had three attendants to execute her commands, — Dike 
representing justice ; Poena, punishment, and Erinys, 
vengeance. 

Poet. See Parnassus, 

Poetry. See Apollo, Calliope, Muses, Iduna, 
^ Poison. See Circe, Hercules' Fifth Labor. 
Poi§onon§ Lake. See Avernus. 

Polias (po'li-as). Minerva as the guardian and protec- 
tress of cities. 

Polites (po-li'tez). The last of Priam's sons. He was 
slain at his father's feet by Pyrrhus. 

Pollear (pole'-ar). Hindoo god of wisdom ; son of Siva. 

Pollux. Son of Jupiter and Leda, and twin-brother of 
Castor. By the Greeks he was called Polydeuce3. Castor 
and Pollux, under the name of Dioscuri, were the deities 
that presided over the public games in Rome, Castor 
presiding over the equestrian exercises, and Pollux over 
boxing. Thej^ joined Jason in the Argonautic expedi- 
tion, and also participated in the Calydonian Hunt. 
Castor, who was mortal, was slain by the sons of 



POLYBOTES — POLYNICES 



179 



Aphareus. Pollux then implored Jupiter to let him die 
also, and the god was so touched by their brotherly love 
that he translated them to the skies, where they now 
form the constellation Gemini, the Twins. See ^depoL 

Polybotes (pol-i-bo'tez) . One of the giants who, in the 
war against Jupiter, was slain by Neptune. 

Polybus (pol'-i-bus). King of Corinth. He adopted 
CEdipus when, as a new-born babe, he had been left on 
Mount Cithaeron to perish. 

Polydectes (pol-i-dec'tez) . King of Seriphus, who was 
turned into stone upon being shown the Medusa's head. 
See Perseus. 

Polycleuce§ (pol-i-du'sez). See Pollux. 

Polydoru§ (pol-i-do'rus). A Trojan youth murdered in 
Thrace. His grave was discovered by ^neas. 

Polyliyiniiia (pol-i-him'ni-a) . Daughter of Jupiter and 
Mnemosyne. The Muse who presided over singing and 
rhetoric. 

Polyidiis (po-lf i-dus). A seer to whom Bellerophon ap- 
plied for advice as to how he might be enabled to catch 
the flying head of Medusa. 

Polynices (pol-i-ni'sez) . Son of CEdipus, king of Thebes, 
and Jocasta. He and Eteocles, his brother, inherited 
their father's kingdom, agreeing that each should reign 
a year alternately. Eteocles refused to resign the scepter 
at the end of the first year, and Polynices fled to Argos, 
married Argia, daughter of Adrastus the king, invoked 
the help of his father-in-law, raised an army, and 



180 



POLYPHEMUS — POSEIDON 



marched on Thebes. The battle was decided by a com- 
bat between the brothers, who killed each other. Poly- 
nices' body was buried by Antigone. 

Polyptieiiius (pol-i-fe'mus). A noted Cyclops, son of 
Neptune and the nymph Thoosa, daughter of Phorcys. 
He captured Ulysses and twelve companions, took them 
to his cave, and ate six of them. The rest, through a 
trick of Ulysses, escaped. This monster had but one eye 
and this was in the middle of his forehead. This eye 
was put out with a firebrand in the hands of Ulysses. 

Polyplioiite (]Dol-i-fon'te). Having incurred the dis- 
pleasure of Venus, Polyphonte was changed by the god- 
dess into an owl. 

Polyxeiia (po-lix'e-na) . Daughter of Priam and Hecuba. 
Through her treachery Achilles was shot in the heel. See 
Achilles. 

JPomona (po mo'na) . The Roman goddess of orchards, 
gardens, and fruit trees. She married Vertumnus. 

Pontus. The name given to the sea when first created. 

Poplar, See Trees, Heliades. 

Porpliyrioii (por-fir'i-on). The king and leader of the 
giants whose mother, Earth, made them proof against 
the weapons of the gods, but who were overcome at last 
through the weapons of mortals. See Giants. 

Portiiiius (por-tu'nus). Tiie Roman god of harbors; 
son of Ino. 

Poseidon (po-si'don). God of the sea. The Greek name, 
of Neptune. See Neptune. 



POTAMiA — PROMETHEUS 



181 



Potamia (po-ta'mi-a). Diana as a river goddess. 
Potamids (pot'a-midz). River nymphs. See Nymphs. 

Potlios (po'thos). God of the amities of love. One of 

the many attendants of Venus. 

Pracriti. The Hindoo goddess of nature. 
Predictioii§. See Oracles. 

Priam. The last king of Troy. Called also Priamusand 
Podarces. See Paris. 

Priapiis (pri-a'pus). Son of Venus and Bacchus. Guard- 
ian of gardens, and god of natural reproduction. 

Prisca. One of the names of Vesta. 

Prociie (proc'ne). Wife of Tereus, and sister of Phil- 
omela. See liys, Tereus. 

Procris (pro'cris). Daughter of Erectheus, king of 
Athens. She was slain by her husband. See Ceplialiis. 

Procru§tes (pro-crus'tez). The Stretcher. Slain by 
Theseus. See Damastes. 

Proetus (pre'tus). The husband of Anteia and kinsman 
of Bellerophon. 

Prometlieiis (pro-me'the-us) . Son of Japetus and 
Clymene, one of the Oceanides, and father of Deucalion. 
He laughed at the gods and deceived Jupiter himself. 
He made men of clay and animated them with fire which 
he took from Olympus. To punish him for his theft, 
and the rest of mankind for receiving stolen goods, 
Jupiter took fire wholly away from earth. With the as- 
sistance of Minerva, Prometheus climbed the heavens, 



182 PROPHECY— 'PROVERBIAL EXPRESSIONS 



and stole fire from the chariot of the sun. Jupiter, in 
punishment, sent him a box filled with the ills that 
afflict humanity, but Prometheus was too shrewd to ac- 
cept. Pandora, who married his brother Epimetheus, 
prompted by curiosity, opened the box and spread the 
evils over the earth. Jupiter being still angry with 
Prometheus, commanded Mercury to bind him to a rock 
on Mount Caucasus, where a vulture gnawed his liver, 
which grew as much in the night as was consumed in 
the day, thus prolonging the torture. Hercules at last 
slew the vulture and set Prometheus free. See Tityus. 

Prophecy. See Oracles, Seer. 

Proserpine (pros^er-pin) or Proserpina. Daughter 
of Jupiter and Ceres, and goddess of vegetation. She 
was known as ''The Queen of Hell," Hecate, Juno In- 
ferna, and Libitina. Her Greek name was Persephone. 
See Pluto. 

Proteii§ (pro'te-us). A sea-god, son of Oceanus and 
Tethys, or, some say, of Neptune and Phenice. His resi- 
dence w^as a cave in the depths of the sea, which he left 
only long enough to take the sea-calves of Neptune to 
graze on the coasts and islands of the Mediterranean. 
Neptune bestowed upon him the gift of prophecy, but lie 
often refused to answer w^hen consulted, puzzling in- 
quirers by assuming fantastic shapes. 

Proverbial Expressions. " Halc3^on days'' (See Hal- 
cyone) ; "Meandering streams" {Meander); ''Midas- 
eared," "Midas-fingered" (Midas); " Ston}^ grief," 
"TheNiobeof nations," "Like Niobe, all tears," "A 
marble to her tears " (Niohe) ; drunken revels, (Orgies) ; 



PRUDENCE — PYGMALION 



183 



Panic, (Pan) ; unfeeling extortioners {Harpies) ; hydra- 
headed, " Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such answer 
would stop them all" {Hydra) ; Argus-eyed {Argus) ; 

Rosy fingered Morn " {Aurora) ; " Pandora's box " {Pan- 
dora) "Procrustean bed " {Procrustes) ; " Crossing tJie 
Rubicon " {Rubicon) ; Scylla and Charybdis (C/ia?'2/^'^^^''>*) 5 
'•Stone of Sisyphus" {Sisyphus) ; tantalize {Tantalus) ; 
titanic ( Titans) ; with stentorian voice {Stentor) . 

Prudence. See Metis. 

Psyche (si'ke). A Greek term signifying the soul or 
spirit. Represented under the form of a beautiful 
nymph, whose charms were sufficient to excite the envy 
of Venus. This goddess, therefore, ordered her son 
Cupid to inspire Psyche with love for some vulgar wretch 
who would disgrace her, but Cupid fell in love with her 
himself and married her. This only increased the hatred 
of Venus, but Jupiter kindly interposed, effected a rec- 
onciliation, rendered Psyche immortal, and thus united 
her forever with her beloved. 

Psychopompu§ (si-co-pom'pus). Mercury was ap- 
pointed to lead the souls of the departed to the realm of 
Hades, and, in this capacity, he was called Psychopom- 
pus. 

Punishment. See {Poena), 
Purity. See Tuccia. 

Pygmalion (pig -ma'li-on) . King of Cyprus, and a noted 
sculptor, who had resolved to die a bachelor. One day 
he finished a statue of Galatea, which was so beautiful 
that he fell in love with it, and begged Venus to inspire 



184 



PYGMIES — PYTHIA 



it with life. Delighted to see him become a victim of 
the tender passion, she consented, and the statue, now a 
beautiful woman inspired with life, became his wife. 
See Paphus. Another of the same name murdered his 
brotlier-in-law Sychseus, king of Tyre, husband of Dido, 
and the possessor of untold riches. 

Pygmies. A race of dwarfs who lived in Africa. 

Pylades (pil'a-dez) . Son of Strophius, king of Phocis. 
Husband of Electra. See Clytemnestra. 

Pylotis (pi-lo'tis). A Greek name of Minerva. 

Pylus (pi'lus). King of Megara, with whom Pandion, 
when driven from Attica, took refuge. 

Pyraciiioii (pir-ac'mon). One of the chiefs of the 
Cyclops. 

Pyraimis (pir-a-mus) . Believing that his beloved 
Thisbe had been killed by a lion, he committed suicide. 
She, finding his corpse under a white mulberry tree, 
the place appointed for their meeting, plucked his dag- 
ger from his body, and with it ended her life. Since then 
the juice of the mulberry has been red. 

Pyrois (pir'o-is). One of the four chariot horses of the 
Sun. See Phaeton. 

Pyrrha (pir'ra). She with her husband Deucalion were 
the only persons who survived the flood. 

Pyrrhus (pir'us) . Son of Achilles. See Neoptolemus. 

Pytliia (pitli'i-a). The priestess of Apollo at Delphi. 
Slie delivered the answers of the orarle. The name is 
also applied to the Pythian games. See Games, 



PYTHIUS — QUOIT 



185 



Pythius (pith'i-us). Surname given to Apollo as the 
Python slayer. Same as Pytheus. 

Pythian Oames. See Games. 

Python (pi'thon). A terrible serpent born of the slime 
of the deluge, and which haunted the caves of Parnassus. 
It wsis slain by Apollo. See Septerion. 

Quadratus (kwa dra'tus). A name of Mercury, owing 
to the fact that some of his statues had four fronts. 

Quadrifons (kwod'ri-fonz). When the statues of Janus 
were given four faces, they were called Janus Quadri- 
fons. 

^uies (kwi'ez). Goddess of rest. A temple was built to 
her just outside the Collini gate at Rome. 

Quietus (kwi-e'tus). One of the names of Pluto, because 
death produces quiet, rest. 

Quinquatria (kwin-kwa'tri-a). Festivals in honor of 
Minerva. 

Quirinalia (kwir-i-na'li-a). Festivals in Rome in honor 
of Quirinus. See Romulus. 

Quirinal (kwi-rfnal). One of the seven hills on w^hich 
Rome is built. 

Quirinus (kwi-rfnus). A name given to Romulus when 
deified ; to Mars during time of war ; and Virgil applies 
the name to Jupiter. See Roniidus. 

Quolt« See Hyacinthus, Perseus. 



186 



EACE — HHADAJVIANTHUS 



Race. See Atalanta, 

Rag^e. See Furies. ^ 
Rain. See Pluvius, Thyene. 
Rainbow. See Iris. 

Rama (ra'ma) . A Hindoo god who represented Vishnu 
on earth. 

Ram. See Golden Fleece, Kneph. 

Reeds. See Pan, Syrinx, Midas. 

Refuge. See Pylus. 

Regillus (re-jil us). A lake in Italy where occurred the 
battle in which the Dioscuri took part. 

Remblia. Goddess of pleasure among the Hindoos. 

Remus (renins). Son of Mars and Ilia, and twin brother 
of Romulus. 

Reproduction. See Priapus. 

Re§t. See Qiiies. 

Revelry. See Comus. 

Revenge. See Ate, Erinys, Itys, Jason, Latona, Nem- 
esis, Neptune, Philomela. 

Rhadamantlius (rad-a-man'thus) . Son of Jupiter and 
Europa, and brother of Minos and Sarpedon. He reigned 
over the Greeks in the islands of Asia, and his rule was 
marked for its justice and impartiality. He and Minos 
were appointed judges in the infernal regions. 



EHAMNUSIA — ROADS 



187 



Rhaiiiiiu§ia (ram-nu'shi-a). In Rhamnus, a town of 
Attica, Nemesis had a temple in which w^as her statue, 
consisting of one stone ten cubits in height. She was 
there called Rliamnusia. 

Rhea Cybele (re'a sib'e-le). The Greek name of Cy- 
bele. Daughter of Manus and Gaea. She was called 
Mother of the gods. 

Rhea Sylvia (re'a sil'vi-a) . Romulus and Remus, found- 
ers of the city of Rome, were sons of Mars and a vestal 
princess named Rhea Sylvia. 

Rhelorie. See Calliope Polyhymnia. 

Rhodeia (ro-de'ya). One of the Oceanids. The name 
means '* flowing among rose trees." 

Rhodes (roads). An island in the Mediterranean where 
the famous Colossus stood. 

Rhoetu§ (re'tus). In the great war between the gods 
and the giants, Rhoetus was overcome by Bacchus. 

Riehes. See Plutus, Mammon, Pygmalion, Midas, 

Riddle. See Sphinx. 

Riot. See Saturnalia. 

Rivers. See Eridanus, Nilus, Phlegethon, Potamia, 
Styx. 

River Oods. Sons of Oceanus who exercised dominion 
over particular rivers. 

Road§. See Vialis. 



188 



ROBB ER — R UMIN A 



Robber. See CacuSy Coeciilus. 

Robe. See Nessus, Hercules. 

Roek. See Andromeda, Prometheus, 

Romulus (roin'u-lus). He and Remus, twin brothers, 
were the fruit of tlie clandestine union of Mars and the 
vestal virgin Ilia. When her parents learned that Ilia 
had broken her vows, they commanded that she should 
suffer the prescribed penalty of being buried alive, and 
that her children should be exposed to the wild beasts of 
the forest. Hare they were kindly suckled by a she- wolf , 
and were afterward found by Faustulus, a shepherd, and 
reared by him. In laying out the city of Rome, they 
quarreled over the choice of a name, and Romulus slew 
Remu^, and became the founder and first king. His 
reign was that of a tyrant. The senators, weary of his 
arbitrary measures, and desiring to be relieved of his 
despotic rule, took advantage of the darkness of an 
eclipse, slew him in the Forum, hacked his body to pieces, 
and removed the fragments under cover of their wide 
togas. They informed the people that he had been car- 
ried off by the immortal gods, and that he was hence- 
forth to be worshiped as a god under the name of 
Quirinus. Accordingly a temple was erected on one of 
the seven hills upon which the city had been built, since 
called Mount Quirinal, and here yearly festivals, called 
Quirinalia, were held. 

Rumia Oea. The Roman goddess of babies in arms. 
See Infants. 

Rumina (ru'min-a). Pastoral deities who guarded 
suckling cattle. 



RUNCINA — SACRIFICES 



189 



Runcina (run-si na). The goddess of weeding and 
cleansing the ground. 

Rubicon (ru'bi-con). A small river in Italy. Caesar, in 
crossing it, passed beyond his boundaries, and thus vir- 
tually declared war against Pompey and the senate. 
Hence, any irrevocable step taken in a matter of im- 
portance, is likened to " crossing the Rubicon." 

Sacrifices. By means of sacrifices men expressed their 
belief in and dependence upon the gods. The sacrifices 
were of two kinds, one consisting of fruits, cakes, and 
wine ; the other of animals which were decked with 
ribbons and garlands, brought to the altar with great 
pomp, and after various ceremonies slain. The animals 
selected were without blemish, for a diseased or imper- 
fect one would be an insult to the god. The heralds 
called the people together who formed a procession led by 
musicians. The morning was chosen for sacrifice to the 
gods of heaven; the evening to gods of the lower world. 
The priest, clad in white robes, and crowned with a 
wreath of leaves from the tree sacred to the particular 
god to whom sacrifice was being offered, took the basket 
containing the sacrificial knife, some corn and flowers, 
and with a vessel of water, passed them around the altar. 
The water was purified by dropping into it a fire-brand 
from the altar. The people who liad i)rought the sacri- 
fice then sprinkled themselves and the altar, and taking 
a handful of corn from the basket, scattered it on tlie 
head of the victim. The priest cut a lock of hair from 
the head of tlie animal, distributed it among the by- 
standers who threw it upon the altar fire, and offered a 



190 



SAGA — SALAMANDERS 



prayer that the sacrifice might be acceptable to the god. 
The victim was then slain, and the blood and entrails 
were mixed with wheat, wine and incense, and placed 
upon the fire. For purposes of divination, the entrails 
were examined by the Haruspices to determine what they 
foretold. The carcass was then divided, and the thighs, 
covered with fat, were placed upon the fire, and the rest 
of the animal was cooked and eaten. 

The gods were supposed to share in the sacrifices, the 
smell of the burnt offerings, and the aroma from the 
wine ascending to their abodes. In sacrificing to the 
deities of the lower world the blood was not placed upon 
the altar, but was poured into a hole in the ground, in 
the hope that it would sink down and reach them. In 
the same hole, or near by, the ashes from the altar were 
also buried. The portions offered to marine or river 
deities were sunk deep in the water. 

The sacrificial feast was celebrated with music, 
dancing, and hymns of praise to the god thus honored. 
On great occasions, as many as a hundred bullocks were 
offered at one time. In very early times, and especially 
among the northern nations, the custom of offering hu- 
man sacrifices was quite common. See Introduction 
under Rites and Ceremonies. 

^a^a (sa'ga). The Scandinavian goddess of history. The 
Norse legends and mythical traditions are called Sagas. 

I^ag-ittarius (sa-jit-ta'ri-us) . See Chiron, Stars. 
^ailf». See Dcedalus. 

Salamanders (sal'a-man-ders) . Pluto says these genii 
dwelt amid flames of fire. 



S AL ACIA— S AT CRN 



191 



l^alacia (sa-la'sii-a). Goddess of salt water. Same as 
Solatia, and A mphitrite, 

8alami§ (sal a-mis). An island of Attica near which 
the Greek flee'u gained a decisive victory over the Per- 
sians. 

8alit (sa'li-i). Priests of Mars and custodians of the 
sacred shields. 

^almoneus (sal-mo'ne-us). A king of Elis who, for try- 
ing to be as great as Jupiter, was sent by that deity 
direct to Tartarus where he was placed beneath an over- 
hanging rock which threatened momentarily to fall upon 
him. 

8alu$$ (sa'lus). The goddess of health among the Romans. 

^ainos (sa'mos). A city in Greece in which was erected 
by Polycrates a splendid temple to Juno. 

^applio (saf'fo). Born at Lesbos about 600 B. c. Noted 
for her beauty and poetical talents. The Greeks called 
her 'Hhe tenth Muse." Because Phaon, a youth of 
Mitylene lost his beauty, she threw herself into the sea. 
See Phaon. 

Sarcasm. See Momus. 

Saron (sa'ron). A sea-god. 

Sarpedon (sar-pe'don). Son of Jupiter and Europa. 
He was slain in the Trojan war. See Europa. 

Satan (sa'tan). Prince of Evil. See Iblees. 

Saturn (sat'urn). The origin of the Roman god Saturnus, 
or Saturn, is not quite clear. By some he is confounded 



192 



SATURNALIA — SCYLL^X 



with the Greek Croims, and thus made to be the father 
of Jupiter, Ceres, Juno, Pluto, Neptune, and Vesta. 
Later research makes these to be the ch Idren of Cronus, 
and distinguishes him from Saturn. According to the 
popular belief of the Romans, Saturn a ppeared in Italy 
at the time when Janus reigned as king over the fertile 
region stretching along the Tiber. Jani.s asked him to 
assist in the government of his kingdom. In some sto- 
ries Janus and Saturn are confounded. Ops was the wife 
of Saturn. See Ojjs, Janus, Cronus. 

Saturnalia (sat-ur-na'li-a). Disorderly festivals in 
honor of Saturn, held about the middle of December. 

Saturiiia (sa-tur ni-a). The time when Saturn shared 
with Janus in the government of his kingdom. The 
period of the Golden Age of Roman mythology. 

Satyavrata (Sa-ti'a-vra-ta). The Hindoo god of law. 

Same as Menu. 
Salyrs (sat'ers). Attendants of Bacchus, similar in many 

respects to the Fauns. They are usually represented as 

half goat, half man. See Pan, Silenus. 
Scfeaii Gate (se'an-gate). The gate which led from 

Troy to the plain. 
Sciences. See Muses. 

Seiron (se ron). A giant encountered by Theseus on the 

Istlimus of Corinth. 
Sculptor. See Pygmalion. 

Scylla (sil'la). A beautiful nymph, daughter of Nysus, 
who failed to reciprocate the love of the sea-god Glaucus. 
He implored the golden-haired enchantress Circe to give 



SCYROS — SEPTERION 



193 



him a love-potion that would secure Scylla's love. Circe 
being jealous of the love of Glaucus, gave him a power- 
ful drug which changed Scylla into a terrible sea-mon- 
ster that afterward lived in the cave of a well in the sea. 
The name was also applied to the rock itself. See 
Charybdis, Nysus. 

Scyros (si'ros). An island in the Grecian Archipelago 
the home of Lycomedes, visited by Achilles and Theseus. 

Sea. See Neptune, Poseidon. 

Seasons. The four daughters of Jupiter and Themis. 

See Vertumnus, 

Sea- Weed. See Glaucus, 

Secular Oames. Held every hundred years in honor 
of Pluto. 

Seer. See Oracles, Prophecy, Tiresias. 

Segetia (se-je'shi-a) or Segesta. A rustic deity who 
protected corn during harvest. 

Sem. The Hercules of the Egyptians. 

Semele (sem'e-le). Daughter of Cadmus and Hermione, 
and mother of Bacchus. After death she was deified, 
and named Thyone. See Bacchus. 

Semoiies (se-mo'nez). A name applied by the Romans 
to a class of gods occupying a rank between the mortal 
and the immortal, such as the Fauns and Satyrs. 

Septerion (sep-te'ri-on) . A festival to celebrate the 
victory of Apollo over tlie Python. Held at Delphi 
every nine years. 

13 



194 



SERAPIS — SIGN-POSTS 



Serapis (se-ra'pis) . An Egyptian deity, same as Osiris. 
See Apis. 

Seriphus (se-ri'fus). The island where Danse and Per- 
seus were cast ashore. 

Serpent. The serpent was regarded by the Greeks and 
Romans as symbolical of guardian spirits. It was often 
engraved on their altars. See Snake, 

Seslianaga (sa'sha-na-ga) . The Egyptian Pluto. 

Seven Wonders of the World. The seven wonders 
of the ancient world were (1) the Pyramids of Egypt, 
(2) Walls of Babylon, (3) Hanging Gardens of Babylon, 
(4) Temple of Diana at Ephesus, (5) Statue of Jupiter at 
Olympia, (6) Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, (7) Colossus 
of Rhodes. 

Servius Tullius (ser'vi-us tul'li-us). See Ocrma. 
Sewer§. See Cloacina. 
Sliarp-sig-htedness. See Lynceus, 
Sheep. See Theophane, Trinacria. 
Shepherds. See Pan, Nomius, Pales. 
Shields. See Ancilia. 
Ships. See Neptune, NaupUus. 

Sibyl (sib'il). A prophetess of Cumae who led ^neas 
down to Hades. 

Sieania (si-ca'ni-a). The land where Anchises died, 
visited twice by ^neas. 

Sig^n-posts. See Hermce. 



SILENCE — SIRENS 195 

Silence. See Harpocrates, Tacita, Vidor. 

Silenus (si-le'nus). The chief of the Satyrs and tutor of 
Bacchus. Some say he was the son of Mercury • others 
the son of Pan and a nymph. He is represented as a 
drunken, old fat man, crowned with flowers, and riding 
on an ass. 



Silvanus (sil-va'nus) God of the woods. One of the 

mfenor Roman divinities. 
Silver Age. See Golden Age. 

Silvia (sir vi-a). Daughter of a shepherd. Her stag was 
wounded by lulus. 

Sing-ing-. See Pohjhijmnia, Thamyris. 

Sinis (si'nis). The pine-bender, a giant slain by Theseus. 

Sinon (si'non). The Greek slave who advised the Troians 
to secure the wooden horse. 

Sirens (si'renz). Nymphs of the sea who by their en- 
traucmg music lured sailors to destruction. Ulysses on 
his return from Troy, ordered his companions to bind 
him to the mast and had their ears stopped with wax 
arid m this manner passed by the Sirens in safety, who! 

^ thmkmg their music had lost its power, drowned them- 
selves. One version makes them daughters of the river- 
god Achelous and a Muse ; another, of Phorcys. At 
first they were represented as half bird and half woman • 
later^ as having the lower part of the body in the shape 
ot a fish. The three most noted Sirens were Parthenope 
I^igeia, and Leucosia. Tlie Sirens were probably per- 
somfications of hidden shoals wJ^ere the sea is smooth 
and mvitmg, but which proves in the end the destruc- 
tion of the ship. 



196 



SIRITTS — SOTER 



Sirius (sir'i-us). The name of Orion's favorite dog. Also 
the dog-star. 

8i§yphu§ (sis'i-fus). Son of ^okis and Euaretta, and 
king of Corinth. Having offended Jupiter, he was con- 
demned, after death, to roll a stone to the top of a hill. 
When he reached the summit it eluded his grasp and 
rolled to the bottom, and his task became an unending 
one. 

Siva (se'va). The Hindoo " Destroyer and Regenerator." 

Slaughter. See Furies. 

Slaves. See Feronia, 

Sleep. See Caduceiis, Morpheus, Somnus. 

Sleipner (sleep'ner). The eight-legged horse of Odin, 
chief of the Norse gods. 

Snakes. See ^sculapius, Apollo, Ceres, Chimera, Eric- 
thonius, Eurydice, Gorgons, Hercules, Hermione, Laoc- 
oon, 3Iedusa, Python, 

Sol (sol). A name sometimes applied to Apollo, but the 
sun was worshiped by the Egyptians, the Persians, and 
other nations long before the Apollo of the Greeks was 
known. See Helios, Surya. 

Somnus. The Roman god of sleep, son of Nox, and 
twin-brother of Mors. One of the deities of tlie infernal 
regions. He dwelt in a gloomy, stifling cave in Tartarus. 

Song-. See Polyhymnia. 

Soter (so'ter). A Greek name for Jupiter, meaning de- 
liverer. 



SOUL — STATUE 



197 



^oul. See Psyche, 

§ Oil til Wind. See Auster. 

Spartae (spar te) . The name of a race of wild armed 
giants who sprang from the teeth of the dragon slain by 
Cadmus. See Cadmus. 

Spear. See Pelius. 

Sphinx (sfinks). This fabled monster dwelt in or near 
Thebes. It had the head and breasts of a woman, the 
body of a dog, the tail of a serpent, the wings of a bird, 
and the feet of a lion. It propounded riddles and de- 
voured those who could not solve them. (Edipus, in 
his wanderings, met the Sphinx, guessed the riddles, and 
slew the monster. On account of this deliverance, the 
people welcomed him with shouts of joy, crowned him 
king, and married him to their queen. See CEdipus, 
Laius, Joeasta. 

Spider. See Araclme, 

Spindle. See Pallas. 

Spinning. See Arachne, Ergotis. 

Spring. See Vertumnus, Attis, Lerna, 

Stable. See Augceas. 

Stag-. See Ceryneian Stag, Aetceon. 

§tar§. See Areas, Avion, Ariadne, Aurora, Calistro, 
Chiron, Hesperus, Lucifer, Lyra, Merope, CEnopion, 
Pleiades, Pollux, Sagittarius, Sirius, Urania, Ursa 
Major, Ursa Minor. 

Statue. See Stone, 



198 



STENLTO— STONE 



Stellio (stel'li-o). A lad changed to a lizard by Ceres 
when searching for Proserpine . 

Steiitor (sten'tor). One of the Greeks who went to the 
Trojan war. He was noted for the loudness of his voice. 
Hence the common expression " with stentorian voice." 

Stepmother. See Golden Fleece. 

Stereiitiiis (ste-ren'shi-us). The Roman divinity who 
presided over the manuring and fertilizing of land. 
See Augeas, Piciimnus. 

Steropes (ster'o-pez). One of the Cyclopes, son of 

Uranus and Gsea. 
Stlieneboea (sthen-e-be'a). Daughter of lobates and 

Amphianax, and wife of Proetus. She had three most 

beautiful daughters whose fate was singularly sad. See 

Melampus. 

Stlieiielus (sthen'e-lus). On the day on which Hercules 
was to have been born, Juno heard Jupiter declare, 
in the presence of the assembled gods, that the boy 
to be born that day should have rule over all about him. 
To vent her hate upon Hercules she hastened to Argos 
to assist the wife of Sthenelus, and enabled her to give 
birth to Eurystheus, a weakly premature child, at the 
same time delaying the birth of Hercules, wlio, in con- 
. sequence, became the subject of Eurystheus. 

Stlieno(sthe'no). Ssime as Stheino. One of the Gorgons. 
See Gorgons, Medusa. 

Stone. See Arsinoe, Medusa, Lcelaps, Niohe, Olenus, 
Paphus, Perseus, Phlegyas, Pygmalion, Rliamnusia, Sisy- 
phus, Zethus, 



STREETS — SUNFLOWER 



199 



Streets. See Apollo. 

Strife. See Ate, Discordia, Doorga, Eris, LoM, Pallor, 

Stropliades (strof'a-dez). Islands where the Harpies 
took refuge when driven from Thrace. 

Stropliius (stro'fi-us). Father of Pylades. He afforded 
a refuge to Orestes when his life was in danger. The 
abiding friendship of Orestes and Pylades have been 
sung in every tongue. See Pylades, Orestes. 

Stryiiioii (stri'mon). The river on whose banks Orpheus 
sat for seven months mourning the loss of Eurydice, and 
refusing food and drink. 

Stymplialides (stim-fal'i-dez). Destructive birds slain 
by Hercules. See Hercides, Birds. 

Stymplialus (stim'fa-lus). The lake upon whose banks 
Hercules slew the brazen-clawed stymphalides. 

Styx (stiks). A noted river of Hades which is crossed in 
passing to the regions of the dead. The gods swore by 
this river, and the oath was held inviolable. See 
Achilles, Thetis, Charon. 

Suacla (su-a'da). The goddess of persuasion, or, of the 
soft speecli of love ; one of Venus' train of attendants. 
Same as Suadela. See Pitho. 

Success. See Bonus Eventus. 

Suicide. See Haley one, Hero, Jocasta, Phcedra, Py ra- 
mus, Thishe. 

Sun. See Apollo, Aurora, Belus, Osiris, Sol, Surya. 
Sunflower. See Clytie, 



200 SUEADEVI — T^NARUM 

Suradevi (su-rad'e-vi). Hindoo goddess of wine. See 
Sacrifices. 

Surg-eon. See Podalirius, 

Surya (soor'ya). The Hindoo Sol, god of the sun. 

I^wallow. See Itys, Birds. 

Swamp§. See Marshes. 

Swan. See Cygnus, Leda, Birds. 

Swiftness. See Atalanta, Mercury, 

Swine. See Circe. 

Sychaeus (si-ke'us). King of Tyre, husband of Dido. 

He was murdered by Pygmalion. 
Sylplis (silfs). Genii who dwelt Id the regions of the air. 

Sylvester (sil-ves'ter). A name applied to Mars as pro- 
tector of the land against the ravages of war. 

Symplegades (sim-pleg'a-dez) . Two great cliffs in the 
sea which moved upon their bases, and which, like the 
ponderous jaws of a huge-vise, crushed whatever came 
between them. Phineus in return for a kindness shown 
him by the Argonauts directed them past the sympleg- 
ades in safety. 

Syrinx (si'rinx). A beautiful nymph. See Pan. 

Tacita (tas'i-ta) . Goddess of silence. See Harpocrates, 
Horus. 

Tsenarum (ten'a-rum). The Greek entrance to Hades 
on the Cimmerian coast. Same as Toinarus. 



TALARIA — TELAMON 



Talaria (ta-lari-a). Mercury's winged sandals, given 
him by the gods to speed him on his errands for them. 

Talu§ (talus). A brazen giant, son of Vulcan. The 
watchman of Minos. See Stanus. 

Tantalus (tan'ta-lus). Father of Niobe and Pelops. In 
punishment for an ofTens3 to the gods he was placed in 
a pool in the infernal regions, and as the waters rose and 
approached his parched lips he would attempt to quench 
his burning thirst, when instantly tlie waters would re- 
cede, and gradually rise again. Hence arises our word 
"tantalize." See Pelops. 

Tartaru§ (tar'tar-us). An abyss under the earth where 
the Titans were confined, and wdiere the wicked were 
sent after death. 

Tasks. See Hercules. 

Tauris (taw'ris). The country to wliich Diana brought 
Ephigenia. Same as Taurus. 

Taygete (ta-ij'e-te). One of tlie Pleiads who dedicated 
to Diana the Ceryneian stag. 

Teacher. See Chiron, Linus. 

Tears. See Cocytus, Heliades. 

Teetli, See Cadmus, Greece. 

Teiresias (ti-re'shi-as). The seer of the lower regions 
to whom Ulysses was sent by Circe to inquire concern- 
ing the fate in store for him. 

Telamon (tel'a-mon). Father of Ajax and husband of 
Hesione. 



202 



TELCHmES— TEBGEMINA 



Telchines (tel-ki'nez). Inhabitants of Rhodes who were 
noted for then- powers of sorcery and magic. 

Telea (te-le'a). A title applied to Juno as the goddess 
of wifehood. 

Tclemaelius (te-lem'a-cus). Son of Ulysses and his 
beautiful wife Penelope. 

Telepliassa (tel-e-fas'sa). Wife of Agenor and mother 
of Europa. 

Teleplius (tel'e-fus). Son of Hercules. He was wounded 
by Achilles' spear, and the wound would not heal until 
Ulysses scraped the rust from the same spear and applied 
it to the wound. Out of gratitude Telephus led the 
second expedition against Troy. 

Telespliorus (te-les'fo-rus). The deity of convalescence 
and the attendant of ^sculapius. 

Telesto (te-les'to). The nymph of the cool springs pre- 
viously emplo}' ed by the Greeks for cleaning and purifi- 
cation. 

Tempe (tem'pe). A beautiful vale of Thessaly. 
Tempests. See Fro. 

Temple. An edifice erected in honor of some god or 
goddess, in which sacrifices were offered. 

Tenedos (ten'e-dos). An island off the coast of Troy. 

Tereiis (te're-us). Son of Mars, husband of Procne, and 
father of Itys. See Philomela, Itys. 

Tergemina (ter-jem'i-na). Diana in her threefold di- 
vinity, as goddess of heaven, earth and hell, was called 
Tergemina. 



I'ERMmALIA — THALASSIUS 208 



Termiiialia (ter-mi-na'li-a). An animal festival in 
honor of Terminus. Numa Pompilius erected the first 
altar to this god, and required his subjects to respect 
the boundary rights of their neighbors. 

Terminus (ter'mi-nus). The Roman god of boun- 
daries. 

Terpsichore (terp-sik'o-re). Daughter of Jupiter and 
Mnemosyne. The Muse that presided over dancing. 

Terra (ter'ra). The Earth ; one of the most ancient 
Greek goddesses. 

Telliys (te'thys). Wife of Oceanus and mother of 
Proteus. 

Teiicer (tu'ser). An ancient king of the Trojans. 

* Teutamias (tu-ta'mi-as). King of Thessaly whom 
Perseus found engaged in public games. Participating 
in these festivities, Perseus threw tlie discus which 
accidentally struck the foot of Acrisius and caused his 
deatli, thus fulfilling the decree of tiie oracle. See 
Acrisius. 

Tlialestris (tha-les'tris). Queen of the Amazons. 

Tlialia (tha-lfa). The Muse who presided over festivals 
pastoral poetry, and comedy. One of the Graces was 
also named Thalia, noted for her perpetual freslmess. 
See Charites. 

Tlialassius (tha-lash'i-us). A title applied to Hymen 
for having restored a band of beautiful maidens who 
were captured by pirates. The name means "sea- 
farer." 



204 



THALLO — THEBAN WAR 



Tliallo. Goddess of blossoming, daughter of Jupiter 
and Themis. She was one of the Hora^. See Horce. 

Tliamyris (tliam i-ris). A skilful singer who chal- 
lenged the Muses to a contest. He was defeated, and 
by them was made blind, in accordance with the con- 
ditions agreed upon. 

Tlianatos (than'a-tos). Same as Mors, the god of 
Death. 

Tliargelia (thar-je'li-a). A festival held at Athens in 
honor of Apollo as god of the sun. 

Thargeliu§ (thar-je'li-us). A name of Apollo as god of 
the sun. 

Tiiaiiiiia§ (thaw'mas) . Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, 
w^as a daughter of Thaumas and Electra. 

Thebes (theebz). The capital of Boeotia. It was 
founded by Cadmus. Ampliion, Athamas, Pentheus, 
and GEdipus were each, in turn, king of Thebes. 

Thetoan War. After the unfortunate death of (Edipus 
and Jocasta, king and queen of Thebes, tlieir tw^o sons, 
Eteocles and Polynices, disputed the succession. They 
finally agreed to reign year about. Eteocles occupied 
the tlirone first, but at the end of the year he declined 
to retire. Polynices allied himself with Tydeus, a 
claimant for the throne of Argos. The}^ visited many 
parts of Greece, and succeeded in interesting five other 
stout heroes in their cause. These constituted the 
"Seven against Thebes." Each, at tlie bead of an 
arm}^ placed himself before one of the seven gates of 



THEI A —THESEUS 



205 



Thebes, but the gods did not favor their cause, and after 
a seven years' siege they were defeated. Eteocles and 
Polynices slew each other in a hand-to-hand conflict, 
and Creon, their uncle, reigned. Thirty years later the 
sons of the heroic Seven destroyed Thebes, and avenged 
the death of their fathers. This was the " War of the 
Epigoni." 

Theia (the'ya). Daughter of Uranus and Terra, and 
wife of Hyperion. Same as Thea, 

Tliemis (the'mis). Daughter of Coelus and Terra, and 
one of the wives of Jupiter, to whom she bore The 
Moerse, the Horse, and Astra3a. She was goddess of jus- 
tice, ceremonies, and oracles. 

Tlieophane (the-of'a-ne). A maiden changed by Nep- 
tune into a sheep. 

Tlieophania (the'^o-fa-nfa). An annual festival lield 
at Delphi to celebrate the return of Apollo from the 
Hyperboreans. 

Tlieoxenia (the-ox-e'ni-a). A harvest festival at which 
Apollo entertained the other gods at his hospitable 
board. 

Til er sites (ther-si'tez). A despicable creature who in- 
sulted and was slain by Achilles. 

Theseus (the'se-us). King of Athens, and son of JEgeus 
and iEthra. He was one of the most celebrated heroes 
of antiquity. He rid Attica of Procrustes and other evil- 
doers, slew the Minotaur, caught the bull of Marathon 
and sacrificed it to Minerva, conquered tlie Amazons 
and wedded their queen. Pirithous, king of Lapithae, in- 



206 



THESMOPHORA — THYADES 



vaded his territories, but the two became firm friends. 
They descended to Hades to carry olf Proserpine, but 
Pluto frustrated their plans. He retired to Scyros, 
where he fell from a precipice and was killed. 

The§iiiopliora (thes-mof'o-ra). One of the names of 
Ceres. 

Tlicsiiioplioria (thes-mo-fo'ri-a). A harvest festival 
in honor of Ceres. 

Tlietis (the'tis). A sea-goddess. Daughter of Nereus 
and Doris, and wife of Peleus, king of Thessaly, to 
whom she bore Achilles. See Achilles. 

Thief. See Laverna, Mercury, 

Tliisbe (this'be).. See Py ramus. 

Til or (thor). The Norse god of war. Son of Odin. Like 

Jupiter, he hurled thunderbolts against his foes. 

Tlior's Belt. A girdle which doubled his strength 

wlienever Thor put it on. 

Thoe (tho'e). See Halie. 
Tliotli (th5th). The Egyptian Mercury. 
Thread of Life. See Fates. 
Thiinderholts. See Cyclops. 

Thunderer, A name applied to Jupiter. See Toni- 
trualis. 

Thya (thfa). Another name for Ops. 

Tliyades (thi'a-dez). Priestesses of Bacchus, wild crea- 
tures of the woods. They wore tiger-skins and carried 
torches. 



THYENE — TITHONUS 



207 



Thyene (thi-e'ne). One of the Hyads, or Dodonids, the 
rainy stars. 

Thyeste§ (thi-es'tez) . See Atreus, 

Thyrsus (ther'sus). The staff or wand borne by the 
followers of Bacchus. It was wreathed with ivy and 
topped with a pine-cone. 

Time, Husband of virtue and father of Truth. 

Tiresias (ti-re'shi-as). The blind seer who was visited 
by Ulysses on the Cimmerian shore. 

TIsiplioiie (ti-sif o-ne) . Daughter of Nox and Acheron. 
The avenger of murder. See Furies. 

Titaea (ti-te'a). A goddess of the eartli who, at the wed- 
ding of Jupiter and Juno, brought as a present, a tree 
which sprang up and^ bore golden apples. The care of 
the tree was entrusted to the Hesperides. 

Titan (ti'tan). Brother of Saturn. 

Tilanidcs (ti-tan'i-dez) . The six daughters of Uranus 
and Gaea. 

Titans or Titanes. The giant sons of Uranus and Geea. 
The most noted wereBriareus, Cottus, Hyperion, lapetus, 
Oceanus and Saturn. Some say there were six, and some 
say twelve. Our English word Titanic is derived there- 
from. 

Tittionus (ti-tho'nus). Aurora, the fair goddess of 
dawn, married Tithonus, and desiring that their felicity 
might never be interrupted, invoked the gods to bestow 
upon her husband immortality, biit forgot to couple it 



208 



TITYUS — TRIDENT 



with perpetual youth. Tithonus grew old and feeble. 
Having lost his charms, Aurora changed him into a grass- 
hopper which moults as it grows old, and thus becomes 
young again. 

Tityus (tit'i-us). A giant son of Jupiter whose prostrate 
body covered nine acres. For insulting Diana he was 
cast into the innermost hell, where he was chained, and 
like Prometheus, a vulture feeds unceasingly upon his 
liver. 

Toil, See Atlas, Sisyphus, 
Tombs. See Planes. 
Tongue, See Tereus. 

Tonitruali§ (ton-i-tru-a'lis). The Thunderer, a title 

applied to Jupiter. Same as Tonans. 

Tootli. See Teeth. 
Towers, See Cyhele, 

Tracliiiiia (tra-kin'i-a) . The land where Hercules died. 

Tragedy, See Melpomene. 

Travelers, See Palcemon. 

Treachery, See Lycomedes, Nysus, Polyxena. 

Trees, See Ash {Ygdrasil) , Cypress (Cyparissus) , Laurel 
(Daphne), Linden (Baucis), Mulberry (Pyramus), Myrtle 
(Myrrha), Oak (Philemon, Erysichthon), Poplar (HelU 
ades). Pine (Attis), Aristceus, Helena, Milo, Nymphs, 

Tribulation. See Echidna. 

Trident, See Neptune, Nereides. 



TRIFOBMIS — TRITON 



209 



Triformis (tn-for'mis) . See Tergemina, 

Triiiacria (tri-na'cri-a). An island, probably Sicily, on 
which Apollo, as the sun-god, had seven herds of cows 
and seven herds of lambs. Here Ulysses and his sailors 
had been driven ashore, and detained by unfavorable 
winds, and though warned against slaying any of the 
sacred flocks, the hungry sailors, after their provisions 
had become exhausted, feasted upon the finest cattle. 
For this offense they were all drowmed except Ulysses, 
w^ho had piously abstained from eating the forbidden 
food, and he escaped by clinging for nine days to the 
rudder of the wrecked ship. He was at last driven upon 
the island where the nymph Calypso dwelt. She re- 
ceived him kindly and entertained him for seven happy 
years. See Ulysses, Calypso. 

Triptolcmu;^ (trip-tol'e-mus). Son of Oceanus and 
Terra, or, according to others, of Celeus and Neaera. He 
was a favorite of Ceres who in his youth cured him of 
a severe illness. Later she taught him agriculture, and 
gave liim her chariot drawn by dragons, in which he 
traveled over the earth and distributed corn to the in- 
habitants and taught them how to grow it. He is men- 
tioned by Cicero as the fourth judge of the dead. 

Tricterica (tri-e-ter'i-ca). Bacchanalian festivals. 

Tritog-enia (trit-o-je-ni'a). One of the names of Min- 
erva. Also called Tritonia and Athencea. ^ 

Triton (tri-ton). A marine deity, son of Neptune and Am- 
phitrite, or, according to others, of Oceanns and Tethys. 
In the war with the Giants he assisted Jupiter by making 
14 



210 



TBITONIS — TROY 



such a terrible din with his trumpet as to cause thera to 
retire, fearing the approach of some horrible monster. 

Tritonis (tri-to'nis) . One myth regards Minerva as hav- 
ing sprung from Neptune and a nymph named Tritonis. 
There was also a lake named Tritonis. 

Tritons. Sons of Triton, inferior sea-deities who blew 
upon their shell trumpets to soothe the restless waves 
of the sea. They were represented as a kind of mermen, 
half man, half dolphin. 

Trivia (triv'i-a). A name given to Diana because she 
presided over all places where three roads met. 

Trcezeiie (tre-ze ne). An ancient city in Argalis, the 
birthplace of Theseus. 

Troiliis (tro'i-lus). Youngest son of Priam, who was 
captured and put to death by Achilles. 

Trojans. The inhabitants of ancient Troy. 

Trophonins (tro-fo'ni-us). An ancient architect who 
had an oracle in a cave at Labadea, which Jupiter con- 
sulted. 

Tros (tros). See Ganymede. 

Troy. The famous city whose conquest by the Greeks 
forms the subject of Homer's Iliad. It is supposed to 
have occupied a slight elevation near the foot of Mount 
Ida, in Mysia, and nearly surrounded by the river Sca- 
mander, but its location is in disjDute, and some even 
doubt that it ever existed. The founding of the king- 
dom is ascribed -to Teucer whose grandson was Tros, 
who was the father of Ilus, who called the city Ilium 



TRUMPETERS — TYNDAREUS 211 



after himself, and also Troja after Tros, his father. The 
classic poets say that the walls of the city were built by 
the magic sound of Apollo's lyre. The date of the taking 
of the city, after a ten years' siege, is usually placed at 
1184 B. c. See Achilles, Agamemnon, Ajax, Dardanus, 
Hector, Helen, Hercules, Paris, Priam, Ulysses, 

Trumpeters. See Tritons. 

Truth. A daughter of Time. See Astrea, 

Tuceia (tuk'shi-a). A vestal virgin who, when charged 
with offense, gave proof of her purity by carrying water 
in a sieve from the Tiber to the temple. During one 
thousand years only eighteen vestals failed to keep their 
vows. 

Turnus. A rival of ^neas for the hand of Lavinia, 
daughter of Latinus, king of Latium. 

Tutelina (tu-te-ll'na). Goddess of granaries. A rural 
divinity. 

Tyche (tfke). In very early times men believed that 
chance, or luck, or fortune and fate, ruled in human 
affairs. The Greeks called this goddess Tyche ; the 
Romans, Fortuna. The Parcae, or Fates, were her sis- 
ters. 

Tydeus (tid'e-us). See Theban War. 

Tyndareus (tin-da're-us). The foster-father of Helen, 
who, to avoid incurring the enmity of her many suitors, 
suffered her to choose for herself, and obliged all the 
rivals to take an oath that they would be satisfied with 
her clioice, and assist her husband in whatever enter- 
prises he might engage. 



212 



TYPHOEUS — ULYSSES 



Typlioeus (ti-fo'e-us). According to Hesiod, he was a 
monster giant, son of Terra and Tartarus, and identical 
with Typlion. 

Typlioii (ti'fon). A hundred-headed monster who made 
war against the gods, was put to flight by Jupiter's thun- 
derbolts, and imprisoned under Mount ^tna. Milton 
describes him as " ending in snaky twine." In Egyptian 
mythology the god who strove to undo all the good 
accomplished by Osiris. 

Uller (ool'er). In Norse mythology, the stepson of Thor. 
He was god of winter and winter sports, and presided 
specially over archery and duels. 

Uly§sc§ (u-lis'sez). • A famous king of Ithaca, son of 
Anticlea and Laertes, or, perhaps, of Sisyphus. He 
feigned madness that he might escape going to the 
Trojan war, in order that he might be with his wife 
Penelope, but the trick was discovered, and lie became 
one of the most noted warriors against Troy. He se- 
cured the poisoned arrows of Hercules, and used them 
with great effect ; he enabled Paris to shoot one of 
them into the heel of Achilles, and thus slay that 
charmed champion. On his return to Greece, he was 
taken prisoner by the Cyclopes, but escaped (see Poly- 
phemus) . At ^olia he put all the winds of heaven in 
bags, but when they reached Ithaca, the sailors thinking 
to find gold, opened the bags, and tliey were all blown 
back again to ^olia (see ^o/?t.9). He was shij)wrecked 
on the island of ^ea, and Circe, the enchantress, turned 
all his companions into swine, but Ulysses compelled 
her to restore them to their human form again (see 



UNDINE— URANUS 



213 



Circe) . He successfully passed the Sirens by fastening 
himself to the mast of his ship, and stopping the ears of 
his men with wax (see Sirens), In trying to avoid 
Charybdis he unfortunately sailed too near Scylla, and 
lost six of his men (see Scylla). Landing near Apollo's 
pastures, his men offended the gods by feasting upon the 
sacred flocks (see Trinacria). For this offense they 
were shipwrecked, and all were drowned except Ulysses, 
who floated for nine days upon the rudder of the ship, 
and at last drifted to the island of Ogygia, where the 
fair sea-nymph Calypso detained him eight years (see 
Calypso) , when, through the favor of Minerva, he was 
permitted to depart on a clumsy raft. This Neptune 
dashed to pieces by one of his tempests, but by the help 
of the goddess Leucothea, he was again rescued. After 
various other misfortunes, he at last reached Ithaca, his 
home, and found his wife, Penelope, faithful through all 
these twenty years, although he had been reported dead, 
and her hand had been sought by many admirers. His 
adventures on his return from the Trojan war form the 
subject of Homer's Odyssey. 

Undine (un-deen ). According to Folk-lore, a female 
water-spirit without a soul, with which she may be 
endowed by marrying a mortal and bearing a child. 

Unxia (unk'shi-a). A name of Juno, because of her 
protection of persons newly married. 

Urania (Q-ra'ni-a). Daughter of Jupiter and Mnemosyne. 
The Muse of astronomy. 

Uranu§ (ii'ra-nus). The son and husband of Gaea ; the 
father of the Titans and the Cyclopes. The term means 
Heaven, 



214 



URGIJ S — TENERALIA 



Urgiis (iir'gus). One of the names of Pluto. 
L'rsa Major. See Calistro. 
Ursa Minor. See Areas. 
Usurers. See JanL 

Utgarcl LiOki (ut'gard lo'ke). In Norse mythology, a 
giant of Utgard, visited by Thor. 

Tallialla (val-haria). The temple of immortality, 
whither, by direction of Odin, the souls of those who are 
slain in battle, are borne by the valkyries. 

Vali (va le). The Norse god of archery. 

Valleys. See Vallonia. 

Tallouia (val-lo^ni-a). Goddess of valleys. 

Variiiia (va'ru-na). The Hindoo god of waters; origi- 
nally the guardian of immortality, truth, and right, and 
punisher of evil. 

Vase. See AIcbus. 

Veclius (ve'di-us). Same as Vejovis. 

Vegetation. See Proserpine. 

Vejovis (vej'o-vis). Little Jupiter, a name applied to 
Jupiter w^hen he appeared without his thunder. 

Vejnpiter (ve-ju'pi-ter). Same as Vejovis. 

Veneralia (ven-e-ra'li-a). An annual festival in honor 
of Venus, consisting chiefly of nocturnal dances and 
passionate enjoyments in gardens and bowers. 



VENGEAKCE— VENUS 



215 



Vengeance. See Nemesis, Erinys, Revenge. 

Venilia (ve-nil'i-a). A Roman sea-goddess resembling 
Amphitrite. 

Venus (ve'nus). Goddess of beauty and mother of love. 
Some of the qualities of the earlier Greek Aphrodite 
were doubtless borrowed from the Phoenician, goddess 
Astarte. In those parts of Greece where the Phoenicians 
had made settlements, the function of protectress of 
commerce was made prominent in her worship. Homer 
describes her as tlie daughter of Jupiter and Dione ; 
Hesiod regards her as the offspring of Uranus born of the 
foam of the sea. She was immediately taken to Olym- 
pus where the gods were all charmed with her exceeding 
beauty. She married Vulcan , but permitted the atten- 
tions of the other gods, particularly of Mars, to whom 
she bore Anteras, Cupid, and Hermione. She then fell 
in love with the beautiful Adonis, which caused her to 
leave Olympus. He was killed by a wild boar, and 
Venus besought Jupiter to restore his life, but Pluto 
being unwilling to have him leave Hades, they compro- 
mised by giving Adonis permission to live on the earth 
during the summer, but requiring his return to the 
nether regions during the winter. 

As goddess of love, Venus had much to do with the 
many love myths, such as Hero and Leander, Pyramus 
and Thisbe, Echo and Narcissus, Pygmalion and Galatea, \ 
Cupid and Ps3^che. Indirectly she was the cause of the ^ 
Trojan war (see Paris). The classic poets have given 
her many names, the most common being Aphrodite, 
Astarte, Cypria, Cythera, Paphia, and Urania, also " the 
laughter-loving-goddess." The only animal that might 



216 



VERTICOKDIA — VICTORY 



be sacrificed to her was a white goat, but incense alone 
was usually offered on her altars. Her attendants were 
Cupids, the Graces, and the Horse. 

Verticorclia (ver-ti-cor'di-a). A title applied to Venus, 
signifying the power of love to change the hard-hearted. 
The corresponding term in Greek was Epistrophia. 

Vertuminis (ver-tum'nus). The Roman god who j)resided 

over orchards and gardens. Some mythologists say he 
was god of spring ; others, of the seasons. His wife was 
Pomona, goddess of fruits and orchards. 

Vesta (ves ta). Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, was the 
goddess of the hearth and fire, and the guardian and 
protectress of family life. Though wooed by Neptune 
and also by Apollo, her request to remain unmarried 
w^as granted by Jupiter. Her special charge was to care 
for and protect a noted statue of Minerva before which 
the Vestal Virgins, her faithful priestesses, kept a fire 
constantly burning. Same as Hestia, 

Vesta 1§ or Vestal Virgins. Priestesses of Vesta. They 
were chosen from the best families, and were under 
a solemn vow to live lives of perfect chastity. Six of 
these were in constant attendance, and the fire was kept 
constantly burning. See Tuccia. 

Vialis (vi-a'lis). A name of Mercury as presiding over 
road building. 

Vice. See Kdkia, 

Victory or Victoria. One of the attendants of Jupiter, 
said to have been the daughter of Styx and Acheron. 
See NicephoruSy Nike. 



VIDOR — VTJLCAN 



217 



Vidor (ve'dor). The Norse god of silence, corresponding 
to Harpocrates. He could walk on the water and in the 
air. 

Vineyards. See Lutinus, 

Virtue, An ancient goddess worshiped under various 
names. The temple of Virtue led to the temple of 
Honor. See Acreta, Kakia, Pittheus. 

Vi§liiiu (vish noo). The supreme god of the Hindoo 
pantheon, the Preseryer. Brama, Siva, and Vishnu form 
the Hindoo trinity. 

Volupia (vo-lu'pi-a). See Angeronia, 

Vulcan (vul'can). The god of fire — the fire of the earth, 
or within the earth. This is to be distinguished from 
the fire of the sun, or of the liglitning. Vulcan was the 
son of Jupiter and Juno. Having offended his father 
he was cast from heaven, and was one whole day in 
reaching tlie eartli. He landed in Lemnos, and struck 
the earth with such force that he broke his leg, and was 
lame ever after. Another version says that Juno was so 
ashamed of liis ugly appearance that she cast him from 
Olympus with her own hand, and, falling into the sea, 
he was found by Thetis and Eurynome, tenderly cared 
for by tliem, and remained nine years in the caves of the 
sea-gods. While here he devised a throne wiiich he pre- 
sented to Juno, knowing that when she sat in it she 
would be firmly held there, and that no power but his 
could release her. His plan succeeded, but through the 
mediation of Bacchus, he became reconciled to his 
mother, and released her from her perilous position. 
His skill as a worker in metals is shown not only in the 



218 



VULCANALIA — WEDGE 



making of Juno's throne, but in the aegis and scepter 
which he vs^rought for Jupiter, the armor for Achilles 
and Meninon, and the famous net with which he caught 
Mars and his unfaithful wife Venus. He formed Pan- 
dora out of clay. His servants were the Cyclopes, and 
they helped him to forge Jupiter's tliunder bolts. He 
was the patron deity of blacksmiths, and as the smelter 
and softener of metals, he is called Mulciber. 

Viilcaiialia (vul-ca-na'li-a). Like the Hephsestia, these 
were great festivals in honor of Vulcan. Animals and 
fishes of certain kinds were cast into the fire and burned 
to death. 

Wand. See Cadiieeus. 

War. See Bellona, Chemos, Mars, Enyo. 

Water. See Canopus. 

Water Nymplis. See Doris, Nymphs, 

Waves. See Halie, Negsaie. 

Wax Tablets. See Calliope. 

Wealth. See Cuvera, Moneta, 

Weapons. See Porplmjrion. 

Weaviniir. See Ergatos, Arachne, Fates, Una, Noinis. 
Web. See Weaviiig, 

Wedding- Feast. See Marriage, Nuptials, Pirithous, 
Paris. 

Wedge. See Daedalus. 



WEEDING — WOOF 



219 



Weeding. See Runeina. 

Wei§"hts and lllea§ures. See Mercury. 

West- Wind. See Favonius, Winds. 

Wlieel. See Ixion. 

Wifehood. See Telea, Zygia. 

Wind-j5"od«i. The principal wind-gods were Boreas, the 
north-wind ; Eurus, the east-wind ; Notus, the south- 
wind ; and Zephyriis, the west-wind. They are the off- 
spring of Eos and Astrseus. These and others were per- 
sonified and represented on the " Tower of the Winds " 
at Athens. 

Winds. See Apeliotes, Aura, Aurora, Auster, Boreas, 
Eurus, Favonius, Fro, Hippotes, Lips, Maruts, Notus, 
Pavan, Zephyr. 

Wings. See Daedalus, Pandora, Perseus. 

Wine. See Bacchus, Nymphs, Sacrifices, Suradevi. 

Winter. See Uller. 

Wisdom. Chiron, Mimir, Minerva, Pittheus, PoUear. 
Woden. Same as Odin. See Odin, Days of the Week. 
Wolf. See Lycaonian Food, Milo. 
Women's Safeguard. See Junones, Sospita. 
Wonders. See ""Seven Wonders of the World.'' 
Woodpecker. See Augury, Birds, Picus. 
Woods. See Dryads, Nymphs, Silvanus. 
Woof. See Weaving, 



220 



WORLD — ZETHUS 



World. See Chaos, Gcea, Terra. 
Wrestling-. See Games, 

Xaiithus (zan'thus). Achilles' horse that spoke with a 
human voice. The name of a lyric poet. The name of 
Greek historian. The name of a riv^er of Troas, the Sca- 
mander. The name of an ancient cit}" of Asia Minor. 

Yama (ya'ma). The Hindoo god of departed spirits, and 
the judge and punislier of the dead. His g irments are 
of the color of fire, and his skin is a bluish green. 

Ygclrasil (ig'dra-sil) . The noted Scandinavian ash-tree 
where the gods met in daily council. 

Ymir (e'mer).' The Norse god corresponding to Chaos of 
the Greeks. 

Youlli, Perpetual. See Hebe, Ichina, Tithonus. 

Zephyr (zef'er). The West-wind. The god of flowers. 
Son of Astrseus and Aurora, and husband of Flora. See 
Favonius, Wind-gods. 

Zephyrus (zef'i-rus). Same as Zephyr. 

Zetes (ze'tez.)— He and his brother Calais, the winged 
sons of Boreas, drove the Harpies from Thrace. 

Zetlius (ze'thus). Son of Jupiter and Antiope, and twin 
brother of Amphion. Lyons, the second husband of 
Antiope, put her away that he might marry Dirce. 
Zethus and Amphion hastened to Thebes, besieged and 



ZEUS — ZYGIA 



221 



took the city, and delivered their mother from prison 
into which she had been cast at Dirces suggestion. 
They then fastened Dirce to the tail of a wild bull, and 
she was dragged over the stones until she was dead. 
See Aiiiphion. 

Zeii§ (zuce). The Greek name for Jupiter. He was 

chief among the gods of Grecian mythology. He ruled 
over the affairs of earth, air, and sky. He often visited 
tlie earth in disguise to inquire into the affairs of meu. 
The story of Baucis and Philemon illustrates his kind- 
ness of heart. By his victory over the Titans he estab- 
lished his right to reign in place of his father Cronus. 
Tlie Giants with wliom he afterw^ard strove, w^ere proof 
a,2:ainst the weapons of the gods, but, with the assist- 
ance of Hercules, the mortal, they were overcome. 
Mount Olympus, in Thessaly, was the principal seat of 
his dominion. Many of the finest temples were dedi- 
cated to liis worship. He was often called Jove. See 
Jupiter. 

Zygia (zij'-i-a). A title applied to Juno as the divinity 
of wifehood. Same as Gamelia and Telea. 



THE END. 



SLIPS OF SPEECH 

By JOHN H. BECHTEL 

Author of " Handbook of Pronunciation," 
"Practical Synonyms," etc. 
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Hand-Book of Pronunciation 



By JOHN H. BECHTEL 
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Practical Synonyms 

BY 

John H. Bechtel 

Author of " Handbook of Pronunciation !* 
"Temperance Selections/* Etc. 
Ooth Binding 50 Cents 

YOUR portrait is the representation of your physi- 
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